Just a Little Holiday Blackmail - White Day Edition
by tentsubasa
Summary: The Stella Quintet is back again! Since they were such a smash on Christmas Eve, the boys have agreed, per suggestion by Nami, to put on another concert and distribute the tickets as White Day gifts. And if the Journalism Club happens to use this opportunity to boost their sales, well, that's just a happy coincidence. (pairing: Kahoko x all) - In response to February/March HC -
1. Juliet

**Title: **"Just a Little Holiday Blackmail - White Day Edition"  
**Author: **tentsubasa  
**Summary: **The Stella Quintet is back again! Since they were such a smash on Christmas Eve, the boys have agreed, per suggestion by Nami, to put on another concert and distribute the tickets as White Day gifts. And if the Journalism Club happens to use this opportunity to boost their sales, well, that's just a happy coincidence. (pairing: Kahoko x all) - In response to February/March HC -  
**Genre: **Romance/Friendship  
**Rating: **K+  
**Pairing: **Kahoko x All (_Primo Passo_, Seiso students only)

* * *

**Hello! Welcome to "Just a Little Holiday Blackmail – White Day Edition"! While this story will still be understandable without reading the prequel "Just a Little Holiday Blackmail," there will be a fair number of references to the previous story, so I would recommend reading it. (^_^) I hope you'll enjoy it.**

**And now for our first song up, by unanimous vote, we have LMNT's "Juliet": youtube…com/watch?v=qVzXe6kr9rA.**

**And guess what? I even have a video of the original choreography, that they're going to do (first 3 min and 40 seconds), but the sound quality is really bad, so just watch it for the choreography: youtube…com/watch?v=yWtJY_qPuik.**

**LittleBottle: See? Your song suggestion in "Just a Little Holiday Blackmail" was helpful! (^_^)**

**From here on out, song lyrics are in bold, italics within quotes are thoughts, and to see the videos, remove the extra periods.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Kiniro no Corda**_** or any affiliates, nor do I own any of the songs used in this story in any way shape or form.**

* * *

"Hello everyone!" Nami sing-songed as she waltzed into the practice room. "Isn't it a lovely day?"

She was met with looks that ran the gamut of preoccupied and disinterested.

"Peachy," Ryoutaro finally grunted.

"Now, now, don't be like that," she chided with a large smile, but inside her heart sank a little. Everyone looked decidedly tired and distracted. She tried to stay optimistic. Maybe it was just an off day. To be fair, they all had probably had to do some creative juggling at the last minute in order to make it here, and the weather was pretty dreary. But how was she supposed to pull everything together if this was what she had to work with?

She pouted a little bit. It's not like this was _her_ idea. She thought back to the staff meeting earlier that month that had basically decreed that she would have no life apart from the music competition participants. Again! And just when she had been enjoying her newfound free time too.

"I have to hand it to you, Amou-chan," the president of the Journalism Club smiled as she surveyed all their shiny new equipment. "You really pulled it off. If you get elected, I have no qualms about leaving the club in your capable hands."

Nami basked in the praise. "Thank you Miss President."

The room filled with chatter as the other club members filed through the door for their first bi-weekly staff meeting of the year. When everyone had been seated, the third-year stood behind the podium and clapped loudly to shush the room. "This meeting is now in session." She positively beamed. They had had a finished off the year stronger than ever; now they just had to keep it going. "For our first order of business, I'd like updates from each section, starting with Sports."

Without missing a beat, the lanky sports editor launched into an update followed by his peers.

With a smile, she nodded her approval. "Good, good." She cleared her throat. "Now I know it might seem a little early to be thinking about this, but we need a big story to send us out with a bang." She motioned around the room. "Ideas?"

"Well, we've got our annual Valentine's Day issue slated to come out," a black-haired second-year boy stated. "Since there'll be more color pages than usual, we've already started prep work for the layouts."

"Good! That's good, but Valentine's is over a month before Graduation. Ideally, it would be best if we could put out something a little after White Day."

"We could put out a companion issue for White Day," a first-year girl suggested.

The VP rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We could, but guys aren't really going to be as cooperative about the things we're doing for Valentine's Day as the girls."

"Do you know if the participants from the music competition are doing anything Amou-senpai?" another boy asked. "They're always good for publicity."

Nami shook her head. "Not before Graduation. I had heard from Hino-chan that they're all planning to do a piece together for the ceremony, but nothing else has been mentioned."

The treasurer suddenly got a funny look in his eye. "Maybe we could make our own news."

Everyone turned to him in confusion. "What do you mean?" the president asked.

"Well…in addition to drastically increasing our funds, the Christmas Eve concert also led to a lot of spin-off articles. The issue covering it was our most popular to date." He looked around the room as people began to nod. "What if we asked them to do a White Day concert? We could do a series of articles leading up to the event and then some more afterward."

"That's a great idea!" the secretary nodded enthusiastically, her curls bouncing.

"Can you get them to do it?"

All eyes turned to Nami.

"O-of course," she replied with a confidence she didn't quite feel. Though no one else knew it, she had gotten the boys to do that concert by blackmailing them. Now that she had signed away her blackmail material, how the heck was she supposed to get them to agree?

And at that moment, the light bulb came on. It was a bit daring, but it could work. She'd need to lay the groundwork carefully, and it would take just about the rest of the month, but if it worked, the payoff would be huge. "But I'll need some help."

As everyone nodded eagerly, she felt a little more confident. That's right. Just take things as they come, one step at a time.

Back in the present, the five boys in front of her were giving her weird looks, Len even going so far as to snap his fingers in front of her face to try and bring her to attention. "Amou-san." He was getting seriously irritated. They needed to get this show on the road; he was giving up precious practice time to be here. "Amou-san."

"H-huh?" She blinked in surprise. "Oh, sorry, just thinking about something."

"Perhaps it would be best to cancel for today?" Azuma suggested in a smooth tone. "Everyone seems a bit-"

"No!" she protested with a quick shake of her head. "We don't have much time as it is."

"That's…true…" Keiichi murmured. "We…need…to put…forward…our best…face…."

"Exactly," Nami nodded with a grateful smile. Good old Shimizu-kun. Maybe this practice wouldn't be such a drag after all. Pulling sheet music out of her bag, she passed the various stacks to the four boys. "Here's the music for your individual numbers. The copy machine broke, so I'll have to give copies to the rest of you tomorrow-"

"Why isn't Hihara-senpai getting anything?" Ryoutaro asked with raised eyebrows.

"Because he's special," she smirked.

"Special…?" Keiichi cocked his head.

"Unlike the rest of you," Nami smiled widely at the trumpeter, "Hihara-senpai took some initiative and chose his own song."

"Gain an appreciation for boy bands Hihara?" Azuma asked in amusement.

Kazuki turned beet-red. "I-it's not like I _like_ them—I mean, that would be kind of weird, right?" he laughed nervously. "But they have some good songs."

"Including this group number Hihara-senpai picked out for our opener," Nami beamed, flashing a new stack of paper.

The others gave Kazuki withering looks of varying degrees.

"It's not that bad!" he defended. "It's got a good beat and it's pretty manly."

"Fine," Ryoutaro rolled his eyes, "let's see it."

Nami quickly passed sheet music around the room and let the other four boys peruse the score.

"It is significantly better than many things we sang for Christmas," Len finally acquiesced.

"If it's…a…group…number…then we all…take…a solo…correct…?"

"That's right," Nami nodded.

"I get dibs on solo 2," Ryoutaro quickly staked his claim.

"Wha-?"

"And I would like solo 4," Azuma added.

"H-hey! Wait-!"

"Solo 5," Keiichi said, immediately followed by Len who tersely stated, "One."

"W-w-wait!" Kazuki protested. "Why do I have to take solo 3?! I wanted one of the short ones!"

"You snooze, you lose," Ryoutaro quipped.

"Senpai's voice…is higher…so he…should take…a higher…solo…" Keiichi pointed out.

Len sniffed. "And I had to sing 'Last Christmas,' so it's your turn to beg for a girl to pay attention to you."

"That wasn't anywhere near as embarrassing as what I had to do in 'You Are My Christmas Angel'!" he whined.

For a moment, Len was silent. Then he shrugged with a bored look. "Tough luck."

As Kazuki hung his head dejectedly, Azuma gently patted his shoulder. "Looks like you've been completely routed Hihara," he chuckled.

~ (^o^) ~

Deafening screams crackled through the air as the music blasted on, colored lights dancing along the dark stage in time with the beat.

Through the dark, five voices sang out in four-part harmony, "**Hey Juliet**!" They stood in a staggered line organized out-to-in by age as the lights flooded the stage. "**Hey Juliet**!"

Punch down, kick across, swing out, snap back. Punch in-out-over, stumble down and back with a lash. Lean side, shoulder jerks up straight, head nod. Swing down, and kick and kick.

As they slid together, Len spun forward so he was front and center. Moving with the others, his thoughts dwelled on a certain violinist and the new emotions she'd been evoking in him.

**Hey I've been watching you  
Every little thing you do  
Every time I see you pass  
In my homeroom class  
Makes my heart beat fast**

Step side and out. "**I've tried to page you twice / But I see you roll your eyes**." Body roll, and out, and out, and out. "**Wish I could make it real / But your lips are sealed / That ain't no big deal**"

Ryoutaro strode forward with a confident smirk Nami claimed was sexy. "**Cause I know you really want me**"

"**Yeah**," the others called back.

"**I hear your friends talk about me**." Judging from the volume of the fans, she had been right.

"**Yeah**"

"**So why you trying to do without me**," he shrugged as they bunched up in the middle. "**When you got me / Where you want me**"

"**Hey Juliet**!" they all leapt back with a shout. "**I think you're fine**." Pull forward with a criss-cross down. "**You really blow my mind**," they circled their fingers by their heads. "**Maybe**," side glide, "**Someday**," turn around. "**You and me can run away**." Leg back. "**I just want you to know / I wanna be your Romeo**." They leaned their bodies into circles. "**Hey Juliet / Hey Juliet**!" They punched down and burst out, roaming the stage as they pleased. "**H-h-h-hey Juliet**!"

They flanked Kazuki on either side as he stood center stage.

Kazuki made his way to his knees as the others grooved down and up. "**Girl you got me on my knees / Beggin' please, baby please**." Well, that part was right, but it was the wrong girl. "**Got my best DJ on the radio waves sayin'**"

Ryoutaro slid over as he popped up. "**'Hey Juliet, why do you do him this way?'**"

They all crossed to the opposite side of the stage and spun as Kazuki picked it up again. "**Too far to turn around**"

"**Turn around**," everyone echoed.

"**So I'm gonna stand my ground**"

"**Stand my ground**"

The look he wore was so stirring, every girl felt for him. "**Gimme just a little bit of hope / With a smile or a glance / Give me one more chance**"

Azuma moved forward with a come-hither smile. "**Cause I know you really want me**"

"**Yeah**," the audience shouted along with the other four.

"**I hear your friends talk about me**"

"**Yeah**!"

He went down on one knee and beseeched the middle section, "**So why you trying to do without me**?" The shrieks of adoration completely overwhelmed the imagination as he flashed his most charming smile. "**When you got me / Where you want me**"

And back to the chorus.

"**Hey Juliet**!" Shoulder back. "**I think**," pull forward, "**you're fine / You really blow my mind**"

"**Maybe**," Len and Kazuki sang.

"**Maybe**"

"**Someday**"

"**Someday**," the basses echoed.

"**You and me can run away**," they came back together. Nodding up, they stepped out and swung their bodies low, "**I just want you to know**," they swung their arms into a cowboy step, "**I wanna be your Romeo**." And out into a pyramid with the third-years on the bottom and Keiichi at the point.

"**Hey Juliet**," Ryoutaro, Azuma, and Keiichi called out.

"**Hey hey Juliet**"

"**Hey Juliet**"

Kick, bend to running position, up and pivot, slight body wave. "**H-h-h-hey hey Juliet**," they all belted. Kick, hop back, kick back, and body roll up.

Keiichi strode down the middle oozing that boyish charm that made all the girls go wild. "**I know you really want me / I hear your friends talk about me**." He smiled and reached out into the dark. "**So why you tryin' to do without me / When you got me / Where you want me**"

As they grapevined, Azuma crooned, "**You don't have to say forever**."

"**For us to hang together**," Ryoutaro finished as they all backed up into a straight line.

They dropped down one-by-one across the line.

Kazuki. "**So**"

Len. "**Hear**"

Keiichi. "**Me**"

Azuma. "**When I**"

Ryoutaro. "**Say**"

And popped back up in tenor-bass pairs by height.

Point out. "**Hey**"

Front. "**Hey**"

Up. "**Hey**"

"**Hey Juliet**," they called out as they rocked. "**Hey Juliet / Hey Juliet**"

They moved into a diagonal across the stage and sang alternating bass and tenor.

Step out, body down. "**I think**"

"**I think**"

Back together and up. "**You're fine**"

"**You're fine**"

Other foot. "**You really blow my mind**"

"**Blow my mind**." Back up.

Repeat. "**Maybe**"

"**Maybe**"

"**Someday**"

"**Someday**"

They all spun into a new formation. "**You and me can run away**"

"**Run away**"

"**I just want you to know**." Swinging cowboy step again. "**I wanna be your Romeo / Hey Juliet**"

"**Hey hey Juliet**"

"**Hey Juliet**"

They kept up the alternating pattern as they launched into the chorus choreography.

"**I think you're fine / You really blow my mind**"

"**Blow my mind**"

"**Maybe**." Side glide and rock.

"**Maybe**"

"**Someday**." Turn around.

"**Someday**"

"**You and me can run away**." Step back.

"**Run away**"

"**I just want you to know**"

"**Want you to know**"

"**I wanna be your Romeo**"

They all began to roam, grooving and smiling at the cheering crowd.

"**Hey Juliet**"

"**Hey hey Juliet**," Len and Kazuki chanted as they punched the air.

"**Hey Juliet / Hey Juliet**"

"**Hey hey Juliet**"

"**Hey Juliet**"

They all slowly made their way back to their original formation.

"**Hey Juliet**," Azuma, Keiichi, and Ryoutaro harmonized as they grooved.

"**Hey hey Juliet**"

"**Hey Juliet**"

Back in their staggered line, they came back together and raised their hands high. "**Hey Juliet**!"

And the lights blinked out.

* * *

**Sorry this first chapter didn't have much romance in it (for those who are reading it because of the Facebook Holiday Challenge). I'm thinking I'll structure it so the majority of the romance happens in the individual songs and the friendship between them all will shine a bit more in the group numbers. So you can look forward to more romance starting in the next chapter. (^_^)**

**In order to get as much of this out in the month of March as possible (to make sure I hit all the points needed for the Holiday Challenge), I'm going to try my hardest to stick to a pretty rigorous updating schedule of once every three to four days. Wish me luck! I'm going to need it. (x . x)**

**3/16/2013 edit: Oh right. A couple people made "La Corda d'Oro" videos with this song. You can watch them here: youtube…com/watch?v=aBFPE0SESWA and here: youtube…com/watch?v=2yf53c84aMI. I would've used one of them as the video at the beginning of the chapter, but they either cut out parts of the song or had bad sound quality.**


	2. I'll Never Break Your Heart

**Yes! I managed to make it within the three-day mark!**

**So apparently you can associate more than two characters with a story now. But it doesn't work. (T_T) At first I thought I had hit the jackpot because it seemed like the perfect solution for how to make this story and "Just a Little Holiday Blackmail" searchable. But unfortunately, I discovered that you can only add up to four characters. So I added everyone but Keiichi to "Just a Little Holiday Blackmail," but only the last two characters (which happened to be Len and Ryoutaro) are searchable and show up underneath the summary. It lies! (T_T)**

**Ok, moving on.**

**First up on our roster, we have Ryoutaro Tsuchiura singing (by a 50% majority in the polls) "I'll Never Break Your Heart" by the Backstreet Boys: youtube…com/watch?v=br9RLAhVKvY. I'd have given you the link to the music video, but their clothes are a little outlandish. XD Haha, Nick's electric blue pants. XD**

**I sort of have a choreography video: youtube…com/watch?v=_m5vH8jAyTs. It's footage from their concert in Japan. I only used it a little bit though.**

* * *

"Hah…" Ryoutaro sighed as he walked home at dusk. It had been a long day.

"Tsuchiura-kun?"

He looked up in surprise to meet a pair of pale gold eyes. "Hino?" He smiled. "What're you doing here? Isn't your house on the other side of the school?"

"Oh," she brushed a strand of cherry red behind her ear, "since finals are coming up next month, Mio, Nao, and I decided to start a study group. All of us have different things that we need help with," she grinned, "and it's more fun this way."

"Do you actually get any studying done?" he teased.

"Yes, yes," she giggled. "We actually study." Looking at him curiously, she asked, "Do you live around here?"

"Ah, yeah," he pointed, "about three blocks that way."

"That's not far from Nao's house." She placed a finger thoughtfully on her chin. "I wonder why you two have never run into each other before."

"I have soccer both before and after school."

"Ah, that's true. Sounds tough."

He shrugged. "You get used to it."

"Are you coming back from soccer practice now?"

He turned bright pink. He'd come back from practice all right, but it wasn't soccer.

"Oh!" she smiled teasingly at him. "It looks like I've stumbled across something good."

"Shut up," he muttered, but it was good-natured.

"But if it wasn't soccer, what were you doing?" she wondered aloud, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Perhaps…you were dancing?"

He was slightly taken aback. "Who told you?"

"Eh?" she looked startled. "You're doing another concert?"

His face took on a martyred look. "Yeah…on White Day."

"Oh," she gave an apologetic grimace. "Sorry! It was supposed to be a joke. I never expected to actually be right."

He shrugged. "You would've found out sooner or later. It's no big."

Kahoko really looked sorry. "I suppose, but still…." An awkward silence hung in the air. "I guess I'd better get home. I'll see you at school Tsuchiura-kun."

"Wait," he glanced up at the flickering street lamps, "I'll walk you back."

"Oh no!" she protested. "You've already walked all the way here, and you must be tired."

"It's fine," he waved away her protests. "It's not safe to go wandering around on your own at night."

"It's really fine," she insisted. "The streets are well-lit."

"It'd make me feel better."

She sighed, but felt grateful inside. "In that case, thank you."

As they walked, they kept up a moderate stream of conversation, talking about school and other things. But when Ryoutaro offered to accompany for her for an upcoming recital, she suddenly went quiet.

"Tsuchiura-kun…you're a saver, aren't you?"

"Huh?" His left eyebrow winged up. "I don't know about that. I don't have a stamp collection or anything."

She shook her head. "No, not like that; I mean people." All she got in return was a blank look. She just smiled mysteriously and looked ahead of her. "You rescue people, like me." She blushed a little and turned her eyes away from his surprised look. "Ever since that time on the stairs when you saved me from falling, you've been helping me. Throughout the whole competition, you've always been friendly, concerned about me, and sometimes your anger was just what I needed to snap me out of a slump." Her eyes were warm and full of gratitude. "I think I did my best to go as far as I did in the competition because you were there for me."

He stopped and stared at her in astonishment.

"Ah," she blushed, "sorry, I'm babbling."

"Uh, no, it's fine…" he furrowed his brow and forced his feet to continue moving, "but…what brought this on?"

Her eyes went pensive with a touch of sadness around the corners. "I think…I'm feeling a little nostalgic or something. With Tsukimori-kun leaving for Vienna and Yunoki-senpai and Hihara-senpai graduating, it feels like I'm losing half of the important people who were with me throughout the competition…and…I want to let everyone know how grateful I am to them for all they've done for me before it's too late."

"_Hino…._" He reached out to her.

But before he could do or say anything, she smiled and chirped, "Looks like we're here."

He was a bit startled. Where had all the time gone? He didn't generally space out like that. Not being aware of his surroundings was characteristic of Shimizu or Hihara-senpai. He internally made a face. He hoped that part of their personalities wasn't rubbing off on him.

She smiled up at him. "Thank you again for walking me home…and thank you for listening. I'll see you at school!" she waved as she walked away.

For a minute, he just stood there before shaking his head and heading back with a little smile. "_Hino…I should be the one thanking _you."

~ (^o^) ~

Unusually, the lights cued to silence, slowly illuminating a lone figure standing near the back of the stage. For a beat or two, all the eyes in the room took him in. At a towering 181 centimeters, Ryoutaro cut an imposing figure in his white suit jacket and matching low-rise jeans. An unbuttoned, pale aqua shirt spilled over his hips and paired with a charcoal black undershirt showed off a teasing amount of chest that raised the blood pressure of every red-blooded female in the audience. Finishing off the casually sexy outfit were a forest green woven belt and a turquoise pendant on a black band. Hearts rabbited in many a girl's chest as he slowly began to move in time with the music with the grace and power of a panther.

"**Baby**," his low, smooth voice caressed the words, sending shivers down the spine, "**I know you're hurting, and right now you feel like you could never love again.**" Breaths caught as he sent his eyes searching in the dark for a pair of gold. "**Now all I ask is for a chance to prove that I love you.**"

He smiled softly as he thought of the first time he had seen her. She had been falling like an angel in a flurry of paper. She had a habit of that: randomly appearing out of nowhere. He always wondered where she'd turn up next.

**From the first day  
That I saw your smiling face  
Honey, I knew that we would be  
Together forever**

He couldn't say he had felt that exactly, but he had felt a connection. And it had only gotten stronger as the competition wore on.

"**Ooh when I asked you out**." Right, he had to get on that. Someday. When the time was right. "**You said no but I found out / Darling that you'd been hurt**." His eyes turned sympathetic. "**You felt that you'd never love again**." For some reason, she seemed to not think much of herself. He wished he knew why so he could dispel that garbage.

He swept a hand to his chest. "**I deserve a try honey just once**." He smiled confidently as he pledged, "**Give me a chance and I'll prove this all wrong**."

The other four slowly made their way onstage from the wings as he continued to sing, "**You walked in, you were so quick to judge / But honey he's nothing like me**."

They all joined together, gesturing and gazing out into the audience with soft looks on their faces as they swore, "**I'll never break your heart / I'll never make you cry**." Their eyes turned intense. "**I'd rather die than live without you / I'll give you all of me / Honey, that's no lie**"

Every girl's heart sighed at the romance.

**I'll never break your heart  
I'll never make you cry  
I'd rather die than live without you  
I'll give you all of me  
Honey, that's no lie**

He thought back on their competition days. "**As time goes**," she had unobtrusively pushed open the door he had shut firmly all those years ago,"**By you will get to know me / A little more better**," and the light had poured in. "**Girl that's the way love goes**." The music came back. "**Baby, baby**." He had forgotten how good it felt.

His eyes turned tender, and hearts fell at his feet. "**And I**"

"**I**," the others echoed as they swept their arms in.

"**Know you're afraid**"

"**Know you're afraid**"

The one who had been afraid was him.

"**To let your feelings show**"

"**Feelings show**"

No matter how deeply the jilt had cut, he couldn't give up music entirely. But he had shut it away, hidden it and trapped it in a cage of past bitterness.

"**And I understand / Girl, it's time to let go**"

And she had helped him set it free.

As they swayed behind him, the other four continued, "**Girl, it's time to let go because**."

"**I deserve a try honey / Just once**," they briefly came together.

Ryoutaro sang for the girl who had given him back himself. "**Give me a chance and I'll prove this all wrong**"

"**Wrong you walked**"

His eyes were steady and solemn. "**You walked in, you were so quick to judge**"

"**Quick to judge**"

The other four moved forward to flank him as they stated together, "**But honey he's nothing like me / Darling why can't you see**?"

Step touch.

**I'll never break your heart  
I'll never make you cry  
I'd rather die than live without you  
I'll give you all of me  
Honey, that's no lie**

The audience swayed in time with them.

**I'll never break your heart  
I'll never make you cry  
I'd rather die than live without you  
I'll give you all of me  
Honey, that's no lie**

As he geared up for his last solo of the song, he promised, "**I'll never break your heart**."

The others answered into their microphones, "**No way**."

How could he? "**No way, girl**"

"**No how**"

Thanks to her, he could face himself. "**Make you cry**"

"**I…**" they other boys sang underneath him as he called out, "**Oh I, oh I, I swear**."

Once again, there was nothing more enjoyable to him than playing piano. "**Baby, I swear**"

"**No way**"

"**I could do that**"

"**No how**"

"**Cause I know I'll…**"

And that was why this song was for her.

Coming together, they slid in boxes. "**I'll never break your heart**." Their hands lifted to their eyes. "**I'll never make you cry**." Abrupt side turn. "**I'd rather die**," other side, "**than live without you**." Face forward with snaps. "**I'll give you all of me / Honey, that's no lie**"

Again.

**I'll never break your heart  
I'll never make you cry  
I'd rather die than live without you  
I'll give you all of me  
Honey, that's no lie**

Their voices slowly faded until Ryoutaro was the only one left.

**I'll never break your heart  
I'll never make you cry  
I'd rather die than live without you  
I'll give you all of me  
Honey, that's no lie**

* * *

**For some reason, whenever I think of Ryoutaro and Kahoko, the word ****friends**** blazes itself across my mind in big, bold letters. So hopefully this ended up more romantic than friendly. (^_^)**

**While I am not a Ryoutaro hater by any stretch of the imagination, I'm not really his fan either. But! I have to admit that imagining him in those clothes saying that opening bit of this song left me quite the fangirling mess. Anybody else with me? (^_~)**


	3. Shape of My Heart

**Next, we have Len Tsukimori singing "Shape of My Heart" also by the Backstreet Boys. For those of you who voted for "Queen of My Heart," don't be too disappointed, as it will show up later in the story. Actually, in Len's polls, "Queen of My Heart" and "Shape of My Heart" tied for first place, but since someone else had "Queen of My Heart" as a firm first, I decided to give Len "Shape of My Heart."**

**Here's a link: youtube…com/watch?v=_6KW4C4Rh18**

**Guest:**** Thank you for the review! *****laughs* I don't know if **_**everyone**_** is with me about Ryoutaro last chapter, but I'm glad you were! I hope you'll like this chapter too!**

* * *

"Hino, you're playing too rapidly between measures 28 and 34," Len cut in as he signaled for her to halt. They were in one of the practice rooms for their weekly violin lesson.

"Oh!" her face flushed. "Sorry Tsukimori-kun!" Molding her face into firm determination, she stated, "I'll try it again." She lifted her bow. "It should be about the same speed as the intro, right?"

"Yes," he flicked his eyes at the window, gauging the fading light, "but you can leave it for now. It's getting late. Simply take note of it when you practice so you don't do it again."

"Alright," she nodded. Then she bowed. "Thank you so much Tsukimori-kun." She beamed at him. "With all the help you've been giving me, I've progressed so much." She smiled a little ruefully. "Though I need to get better."

"Do things at the pace you need to," he stated simply as he gathered up the score sheets. "If you rush, it will only make you sloppy."

"Ah, of course," she blushed as she wiped down her violin, properly chastised. "You're right." She smiled a bit ruefully. Even in this way, the difference between them was so huge.

He took in her expression out of the corner of his eye and sighed almost inaudibly. The sound was somber and troubled. He was leaving in two weeks. This was the second-to-last time. As he placed music in his violin case, he wondered if the violin would bring them together again in the future.

"Umm…Tsukimori-kun…."

He turned to see her holding out a box, her head bowed down so all he could see was the top.

"It's…it's just a little something to thank you for all you've done for me. I'm sorry it's so little."

For a moment, he just stood there; then he took the box and began to rip off the wrapping.

"Oh! Don't open it!" she cried with flushed cheeks. "It's really not much."

He pulled out a pair of solid-color, woolen gloves in a tasteful charcoal grey.

She blushed a little more. "You…you're always lending me a glove because I forget mine, so I thought I'd give you an extra pair…."

He examined them a little more closely. "Hino…did you knit these yourself?"

"Umm…yes," she admitted. She laughed a little in chagrin; she hadn't expected him to figure that out so quickly. "I must've done such a bad job of making them for you to notice…but the lady at the store told me this fabric is very warm," she finished a bit more brightly.

Much to her outward embarrassment but inward delight, he pulled them on immediately to check the fit. They were indeed very warm. The glove hugged his fingers snugly, giving him more dexterity than a pair from the store. Now he knew why for the last couple of months, it had seemed like she had been staring intently at his fingers. His eyes were just a little softer as he gazed down at her. "Thank you. They fit well."

She beamed back in relief, feeling pleased. "I'm so glad! I was a little worried they would be too big." She headed toward the door. "Shall we go Tsukimori-kun? I don't want to make you any later. You must have so much packing to do still." She looked a little guilty.

Before she could grab the handle, he snatched up her wrist.

Her eyes widened a little.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked pointedly.

She flushed. "Umm…well…."

With a sigh that masked an inward combination of an eye roll and a chuckle, he pulled out his now spare pair of gloves. Pressing the gloves into her hand, he reminded, "There's music waiting to be born from these fingers. Treat them with more care."

With a nod and a small smile, she pulled on the gloves. It was kind of nice to have an actual pair instead of just one. "Thank you, Tsukimori-kun."

~ (^o^) ~

Instead of turning off the lights, Len and Ryoutaro simply switched places: Ryoutaro moving into the background as Len took center stage.

He was dressed similarly to his predecessor in white jeans and suit jacket, but he wore a wide black belt with silver studs and a patterned, scoop-necked green shirt that was vaguely reminiscent of camouflage in color if not design. Finishing off the outfit was a silver leaf pendant on a delicate chain. While Routaro's clothes had shown off his solid, sturdy build, Len's clothes clung more to his body, accenting the elegance and strength of his willow-slim figure.

He held himself with a kind of cool, aloof confidence and perfection that makes a girl want to muss him up a little so he'd be a little less perfect. But whereas usually most would skitter away in fear at daring to even think such a thought, here with the lights low and in casual clothes that were subtly compelling, many a heart wondered what it would be like to glimpse under the distant mask of the ice prince. What secrets were hidden under that frosty façade? What would it be like if the passion and dedication he held for his violin were channeled at least in part to a person? These and many other questions filled the minds of the audience as he wordlessly and unknowingly cast his spell.

As the music started up, Len felt his shoulders relax slightly as he raised his mike to his lips. "**Hmm, yeah, yeah…**." When he had first read the song, from the outset, he was displeased. "**Baby, please try to forgive me**." I mean, what the heck did _he_ have to apologize for? If anyone should be apologizing it should be Amou-san for blackmailing them in the first place. "**Stay here don't put out the glow**." And yet again, he had to sing something that made him out to be a pathetic weakling. Wonderful. "**Hold me now don't bother / If every minute it makes me weaker / You can save me from the man that I've become**." And what was _that_ supposed to mean? He was half-sure Amou-san was taking a potshot at his personality. "**Oh yeah**"

In unison, all five stretched their right hands to the audience as they bobbed in place, "**Lookin' back on the things I've done**," and brought it back to their chests, "**I was tryin' to be someone**." They lowered their heads slightly in remorse. "**I played my part / Kept you in the dark**." Many reached back as they beseeched, "**Now let me show you the shape of my heart**."

But over time, the song had grown on him. Especially with the countdown to his departure. "**Sadness is beautiful**." Hino had been changing him; he felt more deeply now. "**Loneliness that's tragical / So help me I can't win this war**." Even though he knew he wouldn't be able to find her, his eyes scanned the void before him. "**Oh no**"

He thought of those lithe, nimble fingers as they caressed the strings of her violin. "**Touch me now don't bother**," he smiled the way only the despairing can, making him look every part the tragic hero, "**If every second it makes me weaker / You can save me from the man I've become**." She had already saved him. She had opened up his world.

Together they step-touched with low snaps.

**Lookin' back on the things I've done  
I was tryin' to be someone  
I played my part  
Kept you in the dark  
Now let me show you the shape of my heart**

"**I'm here with my confession**." Despite his imminent departure, or perhaps because of it, he couldn't say how he felt about her. Even though it could be years before they saw one another again. "**Got nothing to hide no more**." So he closed his eyes and poured his soul into the words, praying that it could act as a kind of confession. "**I don't know where to start**."

"_Hear me_," he willed the command into his voice. "**But to show you the shape of my heart**"

Hearts stuttered and fell before him. This passion and wounded longing, was this the true face of the ice prince?

As they launched into the crescendo, Len's voice soared above the others. "**I'm lookin' back on things I've done**." They shook their heads. "**I never wanna play the same old part / I'll keep you in the dark**."

"**Keep you in the dark**," Len echoed.

Behind him, the others swung up their arms to reach out to the faceless audience as he and Kazuki sang, "**Now let me show you the shape of my heart**."

"**Lookin' back on the things I've done**," Ryoutaro, Azuma, and Keiichi began.

The other two joined in, "**I was tryin' to be someone**."

"**Tryin' to be someone**," Len called out.

"**I played my part / Kept you in the dark / Now let me show**," they crooned as Len cut in, "**Now let me show you the shape of my heart**!"

They spead out across the stage, each singing to a section of the room.

**Lookin' back on the things I've done  
I was tryin' to be someone  
I played my part  
Kept you in the dark  
Now let me show you the shape of**

"**Show you the shape of my heart**," he whispered as the lights faded to black.

* * *

**Haha, I haven't written Len x Kahoko in so long. I've totally forgotten how. (x . x) Although considering that in recent days I'm not really a fan of them, maybe that was partially intentional. =/ I wonder if I made Len too emotional in the second half. =/ On the other hand, I probably made him too passive in the first. (x . x) Oh Len, why do I have so much trouble writing you in this kind of setting? I have no issues with you when you're just hanging out with the guys (and Nami)!**

***sad face***** I feel like my audience has been conspicuously absent this story. I'll need to work on that. Half the fun is the pack of squealing fangirls. XD The swooning, the sighing, the muffled screams, I miss writing about them. XD Well, we've got a surprise group number coming up next, so maybe I can get back to some of that.**


	4. It's Gonna Be Me

**So I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but I've been changing the main characters according to the last published chapter. So since this is a group number, it'll display two of the guys' names. I'm not writing romance between the boys.**

**Since all the individual numbers are ballads, I thought a faster dance number might be a nice change of pace.**

***NSync's "It's Gonna Be Me" (music and choreography): youtube…com/watch?v=UkRfRN5-ezw. Ignore "Pop Goes the Weasel" at the beginning; it's a one-time thing they did for MTV's VMAs.**

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"I can't believe we're doing this again," Ryoutaro groaned as he sat on the dance room floor.

"Get. Over. It," Len bit out in irritation; he was tired, sweaty, and somewhat stressed about all the things that needed to be done to prepare for his trip. "It's your fault anyway," he muttered under his breath.

"My fault?" Ryoutaro's eyes turned to dangerous slits.

The corners of Keiichi's mouth turned down slightly as he felt the storm begin to brew.

"If you hadn't tripped, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"That the best you got?" Ryoutaro scoffed. "Because I tripped? You know if it hadn't been that, it would've been something else." He smirked, raring for a fight. "Y'know what I think? I think you're just mad you didn't have the guts to stand up to her when she threatened to tell your family." His tone turned unforgivably mocking. "Too afraid of what Mommy will think of her widdle boy, Tsukimori?"

He flushed red-hot. "Oh, like you're one to talk about having guts," he countered. "You caved as soon as she said it was all-or-nothing."

"Unlike you, I had pity on him," Ryoutaro pointed sharply at Kazuki.

"Uh…are you making his my fault now?" Kazuki asked in a mixture of nervousness and a glaring sense of being the victim of a great injustice.

"If the shoe fits," Len crossed his arms. "If you hadn't agreed, we could have still gotten out of this."

"Now, guys," Azuma said in a reasonable tone of voice, "let's calm down for a minute-"

"It's not like you didn't agree in the end," Kazuki pouted, his feelings stung. "Yunoki and Shimizu-kun would've held out if you had."

"Hihara, you're not helping-"

"Oh, so now I'm to blame?"

While the others continued argue with Yunoki-senpai trying and failing to promote peace, Keiichi tugged on his hair in distress; he really wasn't good at helping to resolve conflict. As the scene unraveled before him, he thought back to how they had gotten roped into this. Again.

Like the last time, the day had been pretty nice. Well, as nice as it gets in January. The sky was so clear and blue it hurt the eyes and the air had a snap in it that nipped at the nose and ears. Perhaps it was a good thing since the chill had helped him focus more on his book about the events surrounding the composition of Elgar's _Cello Concerto in E minor, Opus 85_ when he walked to school that morning.

But that afternoon as he and Tsukimori-senpai silently walked together, his thoughts were surprisingly not about music.

"Tsukimori-kun~! Shimizu-kun~!"

Both music students turned to see their senpai from the competition walking toward them.

"Hihara-senpai…and…Yunoki-senpai…" Keiichi gave a slow bow in greeting, "Good…afternoon…."

"Good afternoon, Shimizu-kun, Tsukimori-kun," Azuma smiled.

"Are you two going to the Gen Ed wing too?" Kazuki asked in curiosity.

"Yes," Len nodded once. He held up a white envelope. "I take it you two received one as well?"

"Yup!" Kazuki held up his. "I wonder what surprise Amou-chan has for us." He walked beside them with his hands tucked behind his head. "Maybe she'll give us something as a thank you for doing the concert last month." He smiled happily.

"I'm not even sure why we're going," Len muttered. "Now that it's over, it really has nothing to do with us…."

"Well, you've come this far," Azuma murmured while placing a hand gently on his shoulders to continue steering him toward the other side of the school, "so why not see it through?"

Much to everyone's surprise and pleasure, when they arrived at the infamous Room 506, it was to find Ryoutaro and Nami opening various cartons and packages of food.

"There you are!" Nami grinned. "I was wondering when you guys would show up." She laughed. "Tsuchiura-kun and I would've had a heck of a time trying to eat all this by ourselves."

Kazuki was beside himself with joy as he saw all the yummy treats lined up on the table. "Is this all for us?!"

"Yup," Ryoutaro smiled. "It's apparently a thank you for all our hard work with the concert last month." He thumped his senpai good-naturedly on the back. "So eat hearty."

"Score!"

About halfway through their eating and conversation, Nami stood at the front of the room and cleared her throat. "Actually, I have something I wanted to talk to everyone about."

The happy mood in the room immediately disappeared as if sucked into a black hole, and wary suspicion took its place.

"Relax guys. It's just a little presentation," she assured as she firmly pulled down all the blinds and flicked on a projector.

The guarded looks didn't waver.

Ignoring them, she proceeded with her presentation. "Now here's a chart showing our costs and gains from the Christmas concert. As you can see," she clicked her remote, "we ended up with huge amounts of profit." She clicked forward. "With this money, we were able to buy these things," she indicated a list on the left, "with this much left over." Click. "This is the number of people in attendance, and this is the percentage of them that bought the video recording we made." She moved along to the next slide. At this point, the boys were starting to look less defensive and more bored. The numbers were very impressive to be sure, but what was the point? "Since then, I have conducted a voluntary survey, and these are the results." She showed a bar chart with five columns, color-coded by hair color. She looked over at them, the barest hint of a sly smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Do you know what the question was?"

"The…number…of people…who are…our fans…?" Keiichi asked when no one else offered an answer.

"Not exactly," she smirked and brought the title of the chart onto the page. "How many girls were planning to give you chocolate on Valentine's Day."

Now all of them were staring at the chart with slightly frightened looks. Well, with the exception of Azuma who always received mountains of chocolates. Although, he had to admit, it looked like there were more than twice as many projected chocolates coming his way than in previous years. That was a bit annoying. He wasn't the bottomless pit when it came to sweets Hihara was.

"That's very interesting," he murmured, leaning forward a bit so his arms were resting on the desk, "but what exactly are you trying to show us Amou-san?"

"Well," she smiled sweetly, "take that number and convert it to the number of White Day gifts you'll have to distribute…."

"Ah…" he nodded.

Kazuki looked like a worldwide ban had been placed on the creation of steamed pork buns and tonkatsu sandwiches. "I'm going to be broke for life!"

Ryoutaro rubbed his head with a slight frown. "I'll be right there with you."

Len just muttered something under his breath about troublesome, silly customs. Cost wasn't really a problem to him, but having to distribute that many of anything would be ridiculously annoying.

"And don't forget, sanbai gaeshi," Nami sing-songed.

Kazuki planted his face on the desk. "Three times the price? Man, I'll be broke for the rest of eternity."

Keiichi solemnly nodded in agreement.

Azuma looked straight into her eyes. "So what is your proposition Amou-san?" At her feigned expression of innocence, he smirked ever so slightly. "This is obviously the point you wanted to bring around to us."

"Amou-senpai…wants us…to hold…another…concert…" Keiichi answered, cocking his head at the computer display.

"Hey! No peeking!" She lowered the lid.

"What?" Now Len really regretted not simply ignoring the stupid summons.

"Well," she huffed, "think about it. You could hold another concert—a little shorter this time—and give the girls a free ticket. Tickets would be at will call, so you'd never even have to see them to give them their gift."

"My, haven't you thought of everything," he retorted sourly. He had no particular desire to go prancing about on a stage again.

"Why are you suggesting this?" Ryoutaro asked with a frown.

"I'm just trying to do you all a fav-"

"Yeah right," he cut off bluntly. "There's got to be an angle for you in there."

"Well…the Journalism Club could really use a big story for the end of the year…."

He groaned. "You can't keep hauling us up to do your little show every time the paper needs something, y'know."

"This is the last time, I swear."

"What makes you think any of us believe you?" he scoffed.

"Well, for one," she pointed at the seniors, "those two are graduating, and secondly," the finger moved to Len, "Tsukimori-kun is moving to Europe." She frowned back with a hard set to her jaw. "Even if I wanted to, I physically _can't_ have you perform together like this after Graduation, so this is the absolutely last time. Graduation is the week after White Day; you think I can throw together a brand new concert in that time?"

"That's good to know at least," he smiled with fake sincerity. The smile dropped. "I vote the Christmas Eve concert be the first and last. I'll buy some marshmallows or something to deal with the gifts. I'm out."

Kazuki nodded. "Me too."

The others echoed the refusal.

She sighed dramatically and cocked her hip on a desk. "I really didn't want to have to do this…."

The room erupted into groans.

"Again…?"

"Blackmail?! _Seriously_?!"

"Don't you have anything better to do with your time?"

"I should have foreseen this…."

"What do you even have to blackmail us with anyway?! You promised not to use that stuff against us anymore!"

"True," she acquiesced. "But having worked with you guys for three whole months, I had time to get plenty of new material." She clicked the remote to bring up a photograph. She smiled smugly at the shocked faces of the two grassheads. "Look like anyone you know?"

"You-you Photoshopped that," Ryotuaro accused when he finally managed to find his voice again. Kazuki was still a stunned mess.

"I use a _film_ camera Tsuchiura-kun," she scoffed, waving the original photograph. "It would be _way_ beyond my capabilities to do something like that, especially without a darkroom. This is 100% real. I even have the negatives to prove it."

"But…but we're not gay!" he roared in outrage. "So why is there a picture of us making out?!"

"Wait," Azuma leaned forward a bit and studied the picture with calculating eyes. "Wasn't there that one day your shoelace was loose and you accidentally fell on top of Hihara?"

Ryoutaro thought back on that practice as his mind raced a million kilometers a second. He supposed if caught at the worst possible angle, it could look like making out. He rounded on her furiously. "You _know_ we're not gay! Releasing this would be slander!"

"Libel, Tsuchiura-kun, libel," Nami corrected, completely unfazed. "Slander is by word-of-mouth or gestures. Libel is printed."

"Well, libel then," he fumed.

"But…" she smiled innocently. "If all I do is release pictures of some of the practices to show the hard work and dedication it took to put on that concert, then it's not really anything. I'm just showing what happened."

"Just showing what happened?! You're deliberately misrepresenting us!" he thundered.

"How so?" she asked with a hard stare. "I'm showing a picture of when you accidentally fell during practice. Did that not happen?" She tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. "If I print a caption that explains what really happened, albeit on the small side, then it's not really my problem if people happen to draw the wrong conclusions…."

Just as Ryoutaro was about to deliver a scathing retort, a shaky voice cut right through the room. "I-I'll do it."

They all turned to look at Kazuki. His face was pale, but resolute.

He was already in the friend zone with Kaho-chan enough as it was, he didn't want "being gay" to place him even more firmly there. It was just a concert. He had done it once before, and it seemed like Kaho-chan had enjoyed it despite that one part. He blew out a breath. "I'll do it," he repeated a bit more calmly.

"Sorry, but it doesn't quite work that way," Nami heartlessly answered. She leveled a gaze at the four others. "This is an all-or-nothing deal. You're either all in, or this hits the presses."

Ryoutaro growled but grudgingly agreed. As well as wanting to preserve his own reputation and chances with Hino, he wasn't willing to selfishly drag Hihara-senpai into this mess if he was willing to dance to Amou's tune. It would feel too much like kicking an injured puppy.

The other two looked at Len. If anyone was going to object, it would be him.

"Are there other pictures?" he asked in a voice like winter in Siberia.

"There are…pictures…of all…of us…" Keiichi murmured as he scrolled through the rest of the slides.

Azuma perused the pictures as well. He had to admit they were all prime blackmail material ranging from embarrassing individual shots to supposedly amorous gay moments. He chuckled when they came across the photo of Kazuki "proposing" to Len when Nami chose him as the victim for their practice of "You Are My Christmas Angel." The look on Len's face was absolutely priceless. Bringing the photograph on the screen, he smiled over at Len. "I think this one really captured your expression, don't you?"

Ripping his eyes from the photograph, the violinist and journalist went into a staring contest, her gaze cool and even in response to the icy daggers he threw. When she lost, she pouted for a moment before flashing an over-bright, saccharine-sweet smile. Of _course_, that would be just the ticket. "Oh, and I'll send a copy of the issue to your families—complimentary, of course—just because I'm so nice."

His mouth almost fell open in horror. Well, that clinched it. There was _no way_ on God's green Earth he was going to have a conversation with his _family_ about his supposed unorthodox sexual orientation. Talking with them about normal things was uncomfortable enough; he couldn't imagine how awful that conversation would be. Not to mention how totally awkward everything would be for a while after he managed to convince them that he wasn't actually gay.

With a martyred sigh, he placed his hand forward in a gesture reminiscent of the beginning of their last concert. "Together."

They all went in. "Together."

The cycle had begun again.

"What is going on here?!" Nami thundered in the present, crashing through the din.

Fingers pointed in all directions. "He started it!" multiple voices accused in unison.

"What are you? Eight?" she sneered. She folded her arms with a hard look. "I don't care who started it. Just get your lazy butts back in gear. We've got a deadline people!"

When they were finally done for the day, Keiichi suddenly stopped, causing the others to halt as well so they wouldn't bump into him. Solemnly turning to them, he stared at them thoughtfully. "You…were all…wrong…you know…."

Multiple eyebrows winged up.

"It's…Amou-senpai's…fault…." And with that, he walked away.

~ (^o^) ~

Quiet as a whisper, they found the glow-in-the dark pieces of tape that marked their starting formation and arranged themselves into a v with Kazuki at the point. On his left and right stood Len and Ryoutaro with Keiichi flanking Len and Azuma behind Ryoutaro.

The lights kicked on right before the music blasted out of the speakers, sending excited screams of recognition ripping through the room, charging the air with electricity.

Feet spread wide with their left arms in front of them parallel to the floor, they slowly jerked them back to the side. Now the other arm. Standing straight on one leg they drummed the air. As they brushed themselves off, Ryoutaro intoned in a deep bass, "**It's gonna be me**."

Hop, hop, out, shoulder, side, muscle arms. "**Ooh yeah**," Kazuki sang out as they twisted their bodies. Spin, spin, he jumped out with his arms signaled to stop. "**You might been hurt, babe**," squeals of delight pealed through the air at how cool he looked as he did that quick lash and raced to the side. "**That ain't no lie**." They slid back with running steps. "**You've seen them all come and go / Oh…**"

As they spun and jumped, he and Ryoutaro switched places.

Boogieing, a bit Ryoutaro picked up, "**I remember you told me**." He swung his arms up and swept a point out to the roaring crowd. "**That it made you believe in / No man, no cry**," cross, down, "**Maybe that's why**."

They jogged backward into criss-crossing jumps. "**Every little thing I do**," their bodies moved in boxes. "**Never seems enough for you**." Moving their arms in a jerky wave, they traversed sideways, "**You don't wanna lose it again / But I'm not like them**." They bounced. "**Baby, when you finally**," side, side, down. "**Get to love somebody / Guess what**." They threw their arms out and popped up their heads. "**It's gonna be me**," they drew up with a point to themselves.

As they scrambled around, they formed a new v that showcased from left-to-right Ryoutaro, Len, Azuma, Keiichi, and Kazuki.

Sweeping his arm out to the adoring crowd, Azuma told them, "**You've got no choice, babe**," they leapt out, "**But to move on,**" he flashed them a knowing smile that sent barely muffled squeals rippling across the room, "**and you know / There ain't no time to waste**." His eyes sharpened to a kind of imperialistic dangerous. "**Cause you're just**"

"**Too blind**," Len cut in, swapping spots with Azuma seamlessly from his right.

"**Too blind**," the others echoed in their poses.

Switch pose. "**To see**." They all threw their arms out and pulled them to their chests as Len declared with an arrogance that was outrageously attractive, "**But in the end, ya know it's gonna be me**." Did the room just get a whole lot hotter? "**You can't deny / So just tell me why**." They ran back, Len moving to form a back row with Ryoutaro and Kazuki.

"**Every little thing I do**." Point, swish, point, point, pop. "**Never seems enough for you**." Len moved forward. "**You don't wanna lose it again**." Down, out, and swoop. "**But I'm not like them**." Switch lines. "**Baby, when you finally / Get to love somebody**." Pop right, and then left.

"**Somebody**," Len called back.

"**Guess what / Guess what / It's gonna be me**"

Dance break. The whole room stamped and cheered as they expertly executed the sharp moves, whooping and hollering even more loudly as Azuma drawled in a deep voice, "**It's gonna be me**."

Punching their way across and back, Keiichi called out, "**Ooh yeah**," signaling for them to huddle into a half-pyramid, with him in the back center. All of them slowly leaning to the right, he crooned, "**There comes a day**," lean left, "**When I'll be the one / You'll see**." Their heads dropped.

Popping their heads up from left to right, they sang.

Ryoutaro. "**It's gonna**"

Azuma. "**Gonna**"

Keiichi. "**Gonna**"

Kazuki. "**Gonna**"

Len. "**Gonna**"

Keiichi towered over them finger pointed to the sky and pulled both hands in to flip his jacket lapels. "**It's gonna be me**"

The screams brought down the house.

They punched down and exploded out across the stage, rocking back and forth and gesturing out to their adoring fans.

**All that I do  
Is not enough for you  
I don't wanna lose it  
But I'm not like that  
When finally**

"**Finally**," Keiichi ad-libbed.

"**You get to love / Guess what / Guess what**." They moved back into their original formation, Kazuki leading them into the chorus. "**Every little thing I do / Never seems enough for you**"

"**For you babe**," Ryoutaro called back.

"**You don't wanna lose it again**"

"**Don't wanna lose it**," Azuma purred.

"**But I'm not like them / Baby, when you finally / Get to love somebody**"

"**Love**," Len belted.

"**Guess what / Guess what**," they smugly pointed to themselves, making hearts swoon, "**It's gonna be me**."

They spread out over the stage again, randomly jumping and crossing the stage. "**Every little thing I do / Never seems enough for you / You don't wanna lose it again**"

"**Lose it**," Kazuki echoed.

They moved so Keiichi stood front and center; all of them restricting their movements to a smaller space. "**But I'm not like them / Baby, when you finally**." Pop right and left. "**Get to love somebody / Guess what**," arms hanging out, "**Guess what**."

Keiichi pointed out and back at himself with an attitude Nami had spent hours drumming into him. "**It's gonna be me**!" And threw his arms out knocking the others flat on the floor in response.

They held their positions for a full minute as the audience cheered and shouted until finally the lights went down.

* * *

**Well, I suppose it really can't be just a little holiday blackmail without any blackmail. =P I kind of wish it had been more original, but whatever does the trick, I guess.**

**It was so fun to do a group number again! I like the individual numbers, but one unfortunate thing about them is that the other four boys kind of fade into the background to the point that I don't even really mention their names. (-_-)**

**Originally I was going to just have two group numbers, one at the beginning and one at the end (and the stuff that showed up at the beginning of this chapter was going to be in "Juliet"), but I just couldn't let go of "It's Gonna Be Me." I think it came in second place for Ryoutaro's song, and when I saw that I wasn't going to get to write it, I decided I'd exercise author's prerogative and just add in an extra number. XD I really wanted to see the boys do this dance. It would've been awesome to see any of them do that last, "It's gonna be me," at the end, but the thought of Keiichi's cute, cuddly adorableness mixed in with a bad-boy attitude totally won me over to his side.**

**I suppose I might have also wanted to break up this all Backstreet Boys and Westlife concert a little, little bit. ****(9_9) *whistling***

**Tentsubasa's Japanese Corner:**

**Tonkatsu is breaded pork cutlet that's deep fried, and a tonkatsu sandwich is made of tonkatsu with tonkatsu sauce and thinly sliced cabbage.**

**"Sanbai gaeshi" is the idea that a reciprocal gift should be at least three times the value of the original gift you received.**

**So, when **_**you**_** finally get to love somebody, is it going to be one of them? (^_~)***


	5. Flying without Wings

**Hmm…a lot of Keiichi-centric chapters in this story. Maybe I'm subconsciously trying to make up for him being less present in the prequel due to his being sick for "My Christmas List." As promised, here is the revealing of the first of the final two blackmails from "Just a Little Holiday Blackmail."**

**Here's a link to the music video of Westlife's "Flying without Wings" (used for concept and choreography [a little] as well): youtube…com/watch?v=heEdqbVmytM.**

* * *

A smile came to Keiichi's face when he saw her in the garden. "Hino-senpai…" he called softly in greeting as he walked up. But as she turned to him, his smile faded. "What's wrong…Hino-senpai…?"

Kahoko combed her fingers agitatedly through her hair. "I can't seem to find my violin. I could have been sure I left it around here."

His eyes widened in alarm. "I will help you look…."

The two of them searched the area but to no avail. Guiding her to a bench, they sat. "When…was the last time…senpai saw her violin…?"

She cocked her head to the side and thought hard. "Mmm…right after school ended. I had come out here to practice, but then the wind swept off some of my music, so I quickly covered my violin to go and get it. Then there was that big commotion in the quad and I got distracted," she gestured helplessly, "and now I can't find it."

His eyes suddenly went a bit dark, well as dark as those innocent orbs could look in his angelic face. "Have…you seen Amou-senpai recently…?"

"Amou-san?" Kahoko asked in surprise. "No. Why?"

He shook his head, serenity returning to his countenance. "No reason…." He thought of something. "Perhaps we can check…the Lost and Found…and the Orchestra Club storage room…."

She perked right up. "That's a great idea!" She laughed a little in embarrassment. "I should have thought of the Lost and Found earlier."

As they walked, he thought about her question. He had very good reason to suspect Amou-senpai actually, because she had done something similar to him.

Right after coming back from summer break, his cello had started to go missing. At first, it had only been a couple times a week, and he always quickly found it again (just not in quite the spot he thought it should be), so he attributed it to forgetfulness. It bothered him a little bit though. His cello was his most precious possession. He had always known exactly where it should be. But then again, he hadn't been sleeping well lately. Perhaps his brain was getting a bit muddled. He'd need to concentrate on getting better rest.

But as time went by, it started to go missing with greater frequency until its disappearance virtually became a daily occurrence. Sometimes he'd find it in the broom closet. Or in the gym! Places where it had no business being. He was definitely being pranked. There was no other explanation. He had tried making sure that he held his cello tightly to himself if he found himself beginning to drift off, but he was a deep enough sleeper that it didn't matter. Then he tried not sleeping at school at all, but it would just go missing when he was occupied with something else like reading, so that didn't help either. Not to mention that when he did finally drop off in complete exhaustion, he'd wake up even more disoriented.

He'd always find it again, but it was becoming quite worrisome. Not to mention that searching for his cello meant he had less time to play it, which was upsetting to say the least. How was he to achieve his goal of finding the perfect sound if he had no way to work toward it? And the hunt itself was stressful. He never knew where it would turn up, or if he'd even be able to find it again. Panic, helplessness, and deep-seated fear became a part of his everyday experience.

Then, one day, he had found an envelope in his shoe cubby. And as he read the note inside, horror that made his previous fears pale by far in comparison chilled him to the bone. "You've been very forgetful lately, haven't you? If you keep it up, your things will simply disappear. I'd like to help you avoid that, so come to Room 506 of the General Studies' Wing at _3:30 this afternoon_ and we'll talk about ways to help you keep better track of your stuff. – Nami Amou"

When he walked to Room 506 in a daze, his mind was in turmoil. Keiichi had a very retentive memory when he applied himself, and now that he wasn't frantically searching high and low for his instrument, he realized that Amou-senpai had always been nearby whenever his cello went missing. But why would she do this? He couldn't think of anything he had done to make her hate him. As he walked into the room, he absently wondered how she was able to disguise that she was stealing a cello. I mean it wasn't exactly a small instrument, and there was no reason for her to have it.

"Shimizu-kun?" Kahoko's voice broke through his thoughts.

Keiichi blinked to bring himself back to the present and turned to meet the eyes of his concerned senpai. "Yes…Hino-senpai…?"

"Is something wrong? You seemed really lost in thought there for a minute."

"I…was thinking about…your missing violin…."

She smiled softly at him. "Thank you for helping me Shimizu-kun. I really appreciate it."

As he nodded, he faced forward. "_This whole time we've been walking together I've been spaced out_," he realized in disappointment. "I need to treasure…the time spent with senpai…more carefully…" he murmured quietly, yet audibly enough for her to hear.

Her face flushed pale pink as she stopped to stare at him. "_Shimizu-kun?_"

Turning, he smiled briefly at her and walked up to the Lost and Found desk. "Hello…."

"Oh," the second-year girl on duty smiled at the sight of her customer. "Hello Shimizu-kun." She giggled. "Did you lose something again?"

He shook his head and indicated Kahoko. "Hino-senpai…did…. Has anyone turned in…a red violin case…?"

"Actually yes, about twenty minutes ago." The girl pulled the case in question out. "Is this it?"

Opening it, Keiichi inspected the contents. Recognizing the golden cord, he nodded. "Yes. Thank you…very much…" he bowed.

Returning to Kahoko, he held out the violin case with a smile that brought the beauty of spring to the frigid winter. "Here you are…Hino-senpai….."

~ (^o^) ~

The first thing everyone saw was white smoke billowing across the stage floor through the black. Then, slowly the lights came on, revealing a lone, blonde figure against a blue backdrop. With the smoke and the blowing wind rustling through his hair, it was as if the back of the stage had dropped away to let in the open sky. And if this was the sky, then Keiichi was the sun, with his golden hair and light yellow vest glowing over the rest of his all-white ensemble.

Then, with a crackle of static, he snapped open those windows of sky and lifted his microphone to his lips. "**Everybody's looking for that something**." The clouds slowly parted before him as he strode forward. "**One thing that makes it all complete**." He looked solemnly out into the dark. "**You'll find it in the strangest places / Places you never knew it could be**." He had certainly found that to be his experience.

As he placed his microphone into its stand, the others slowly carried mike stands onto the stage, forming a line at the foot of the risers. "**Some find it in the face of their children / Some find it in their lover's eyes**." He smiled softly as he thought of the senpai who had helped him find the music waiting to be born inside him. "**Who can deny the joy it brings / When you've found that special thing / You're flying without wings**"

As they step-touched with their arms loosely by their sides, he thought of his life. "**Some find it sharing every morning**." Before, he thought all he needed to be happy was his cello. That was all he lived for. "**Some in their solitary lives**." But her music had reached deeply within him and opened his awareness to another human being. "**You'll find it in the words of others / A simple line can make you laugh or cry**." She was his muse.

They stopped and the back four twisted around. "**You'll find it in the deepest friendship**." He closed his eyes and belted, "**The kind you cherish all your life**." His smile shone brighter than any star as he thought of how she had opened up the world of music for him. "**And when you know how much that means / You've found that special thing**"

Spreading their arms out, all five sang out, "**You're flying without wings**."

Alternating gesturing and holding their stands, they continued on. "**So, impossible as it may seem / ****You've got to fight for every dream**." Hearts skipped a beat as the breeze tousled their hair, making them look deliciously windswept. "**'Cause who's to know which one you let go / ****Would have made you complete**"

Pulling his mike back to his mouth, Keiichi's voice rang out over the others' ahs, "**Well, for me it's waking up beside you**." Waking to the sight of her face was one of his favorite things. "**To watch the sunrise on your face**." The auditorium sighed in dreamy rapture as he beamed sweetly. "**To know that I can say I love you / In any given time or place**"

He closed his eyes with a serene look and placed his hand on his chest. "**It's little things that only I know**"

Pulses scrambled as all five guys reached out. "**Those are the things that make you mine**"

His senpai picked up the ahs again as Keiichi sang over them, "**And it's like flying without wings / 'Cause you're my special thing**."

They all spread their arms out again as they uttered the signature line. "**I'm flying without wings**"

He shot the smile that melted girls to puddles of mush. "**And you're the place my life begins / And you'll be where it ends**"

"**I'm flying without wings**"

"**And that's the joy you bring**." Just like his cello playing, Keiichi's voice was warm as he thought of her. "**I'm flying without wings**"

As the music faded out, they stepped to the right and bowed to loud, cheering applause.

* * *

**Wah! I'm so sorry for doing that to you Shimizu-kun! Please forgive Nami and me! m(_ _)m But seriously, you're so go-with-the-flow that serious action needed to be taken! (T_T) I'm such a terrible person. Well, now all we have left to reveal is Azuma's blackmail and we'll know all. (^_^)**

**Haha, I just realized that maybe part of the reason people wanted Keiichi to sing this song is because it's not terribly romantic. XD And here you get a Keiichi x Kahoko chapter. XD**

**To tell the truth, I don't really like them together as a couple either, but in order to adhere with anime canon, I needed to write it. It's not really that I have anything against younger guys with older girls since some of my relatives and friends are that way, but I just can't get into the idea of Keiichi x Kahoko that much. Everything, and I mean **_**everything**_**, is about music when it comes to him. You ask him about how real flowers grow, and he starts talking about Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers." He notices how tall Ryoutaro is and the next thought he jumps to is that being taller would make playing the cello easier. *****shakes head***** That boy seriously lives in his own little world, and because of that, I think he kind of puts her on a pedestal as this glorious, untouchable being.**

**Although…looking over this chapter again, despite that just about every romantic thing that I wrote in here came along with some kind of musical reference, I can't help but wonder if Keiichi's chapter ended up more romantic than Len's. (-_-;) Oi vay.**


	6. Queen of My Heart

**Aww man. =( I think this is the first time I've been late. I kept having visions of the previous songs running through my head instead of stuff for this chapter. *****pouts***** I…also might have gotten distracted watching "Top Chef." (9_9) Well, this was the last chapter I needed to complete the requirements for the holiday challenge, so I guess as long as it got out in time, the rest is just gravy. It's about White Day; I've got a couple of cages; lights all over the place; if you include the risers, stairs are pretty prevalent too; the main genre is romance; now we finally have the big twist; and all of it happened before April 1****st****. Not half bad for a little over 2 weeks of work. =)**

**Westlife's "Queen of My Heart": youtube…com/watch?v=6c64kUiqknY**

**Choreography video (song starts at 1:16): youtube…com/watch?v=7NQiAqBYYuM**

* * *

As Azuma settled into the car after the meeting, a small chuckle escaped. Amou-san was certainly gutsy, pulling something like that. She had gotten what she wanted of course. The contracts were signed and practices started up again next week. He couldn't say he minded terribly. In their own way, the practices had been a steady stream of entertainment. With all the different personalities rubbing up against each other in the confined space, how could they not? But he had to admit it was a little amusing to actually be blackmailed this time.

Yes, that's right; he had actually not been blackmailed for the previous concert.

A few days before the fateful meeting, he had received a very polite handwritten note requesting his presence in Room 506 of the General Studies' Wing at 3:30 on the specified date. According to the letter, she wished to speak to him about something related to the newspaper.

He smirked. It had been related to the paper all right. Just not in the way he had expected. She had been crafty, and he had to admire craftiness in a person even if the result was somewhat inconvenient.

He was certain Hihara's blackmail had been about Kahoko. He wasn't sure what dirt she had on the others, but it seemed likely that Tsuchiura-kun's was tied to being humiliated somehow with photographs, much like this time. Amou-san had always been a bit careful about just what kind of abuse she dished on him. After all, she had to make the concert more appealing than being disgraced by himself he supposed. If she wanted someone to do something truly embarrassing, she'd leave it to Hihara who would do _anything_ to keep his secret (that really wasn't a secret to most of the populace) safe. For Tsukimori-kun, he guessed it would somehow affect his music. All he did was practice, what else could she threaten? Shimizu-kun was a black box to him, but he supposed it must also revolve around music and practice. The boy saw the world through a music-tinted lens and was generally unfazed. It must've been quite something to shake up his sleepy little world.

His pulled his thoughts away from the others. He could have just walked away, he supposed, but it was just too fun to play along. It was a grand game. On one hand, the others believed him to be just like them, blackmailed and coerced into doing this concert against his will. And on the other, not actually being blackmailed gave him power over Amou-san. She likely thought he was going along with it because of something silly like wanting to be nice or because he thought it would boost his popularity. "_Not that I need help in that area, thank you._" But they both knew with all the girls in the school who adored him, it wouldn't be hard for them to conveniently decide themselves to harass her until she set him free from his contract. All it would take was a well-placed word or two.

His smile became a bit mischievous. Imagine the horror on his grandmother's face if she knew exactly why he had been so busy at school. Rebelling outright wasn't worth the trouble, but a secret that flirted on the edges of propriety…that had just enough flair of illicit excitement to pique the interest of his teenage heart. He may have to act like a well bred, forty-year-old man all the time, but deep down, he was still eighteen with very real teenage angst and wants. His eyes went pensive as he reflected on a certain flame-haired violinist. She was particularly good at making him realize this. Ever since he had met her, he had noticed himself taking more risks. And it was irksome.

He had accepted his life. It was a rather boring way to live, he supposed, walking the path that had been chosen for him, never being allowed to do anything that could remotely besmirch the family name, but he had more-or-less stopped caring long ago. Life's more painless if you don't think about the unfair things too hard.

But then she walked through the door, and he started wanting to live. He wanted to be eighteen. He wanted someone to know that he was more than his façade, that he wasn't perfect. He wanted those guileless, trusting eyes of hers to only look at him. But when you want and when you wish, you become vulnerable. And this willingness to be weak was something he considered to be an unforgivable character flaw.

He arched his eyebrow when he saw the physical manifestation of his thoughts. Signaling the driver to stop, he hopped out and steered the stuttering, protesting girl into the car and whisked her away.

He'd work on that character flaw some other time. Right now, he wanted to play with his favorite time killer.

~ (^o^) ~

When the lights returned, Azuma stood confidently in the center of the stage close to the front with the other four in a line on the top riser. For him, a white, expensively tailored Italian suit with an untucked, pale orange dress shirt and deep red skinny tie was the order of the day. He was a man who wore luxury and privilege well with his toned, slim build that was made for designer suits. Elegant, timelessly classic, and subtly powerful, few were they who could resist the allure of the great Azuma Yunoki.

As the music gently floated through the room, he thought of the garden he had taken her to that afternoon after the meeting. "**So here we stand / In our secret place**." At the time, it was somewhat understandable why she hadn't realized it was a garden considering how deserted it was with the snowdrifts piled high on the flowerbeds. "**Where the sound of the crowd / Is so far away**." He'd still called her stupid for not realizing it though.

"**You take my hand**." He'd never taken anyone there before. It was his sanctuary. "**And it feels like home**." Keeping in the family tradition of flower arrangement, every member of the family had a plot of land somewhere they considered their own to do with and shape as they pleased both as a service to the city to increase their good name and as a way to show why Yunoki was a name synonymous with the beauty of nature. "**We both understand**," he smiled, "**It's where we belong**." Her eyes had become more reverent once he explained where exactly they were.

He thought of his impending graduation and departure to England in a couple weeks.

**So how do I say  
Do I say goodbye  
We both have our dreams  
We both wanna fly**

He thought of the way she had looked at him when she told him that she hoped he would continue music. His heart involuntarily warmed. "**So let's take tonight / To carry us through / The lonely times**," he murmured gently.

As they harmonized together, the other four advanced toward him one step per line.

**I'll always look back  
As I walk away  
This memory will last  
For eternity  
And all of our tears  
Will be lost in the rain  
When I find my way  
Back to your arms again  
But until that day  
You know you are**

They stopped about mid-stage as Azuma sang out amidst dreamy sighs and swooning hearts, "**The queen of my heart / Queen of my heart**."

The five of them moved as one as he remembered how he had pulled her under his coat when she had shivered. "**So let's take tonight**," touch-step, "**And never let go**," touch-step, "**While dancing we'll kiss**," step, "**Like there's no tomorrow**." He smiled broadly as he thought of the lovely shade of red her face had become when he moved his face in closer to tease her for not bringing a heavier coat. "**As the stars sparkle down / Like a diamond ring**." She had looked radiant against the snowy backdrop. "**I'll treasure this moment / 'Til we meet again**"

His words were heartfelt. "**But no matter how far**"

"**No matter how far**," the others echoed behind him.

"**Or where you may be**"

"**Where you may be**"

"**I just close my eyes**"

"**Just close my eyes**"

"**And you're in my dreams**." He would never admit it, but it was because of her he had gone to England to stop his transfer. "**And there you will be / Until we meet**"

They did long slides side-to-side, looking regal as princes with one arm held behind their backs. "**I'll always look back**," right, "**As I walk away**," left, "**This memory will last**," right, "**For eternity**," left. "**And all of our tears / Will be lost in the rain**." Their gazes pierced the dark, and hearts fluttered and leapt. "**When I find my way back / To your arms again**." Oh, how romantic. "**But until that day / You know you are**"

"**The queen of my heart**," Azuma belted into his mike.

The others advanced again as Azuma wove his spell on the audience, charming them into submission. The air around him seemed to sparkle as the purple prince smiled and swayed, mesmerizing and gesturing to his adoring fans.

**I'll always look back  
As I walk away  
This memory will last  
For eternity  
And all of our tears  
Will be lost in the rain  
When I find my way back  
To your arms again**

They all joined him at the front and reached out to the audience. "**But until that day / You know you are**." They tapped their chests. "**The queen of my heart**"

"**Oh yeah**," Azuma called out, as they swayed and spread out to sing to a different section of the room. "**You're the queen of my heart**"

"**Queen of my heart**," they harmonized beneath him.

He briefly let his mask falter as he promised her, "**No matter / How many years it takes**."

"**Queen of my heart**"

"**I'm coming home to you**," he closed his eyes to collect himself again, "**Oh yeah**"

"**Queen of my heart**"

"**Oh yes you are**," he murmured with genuine tenderness and looked up with a strange look in his eyes that made hearts stop. "**The queen of my heart**"

* * *

**Not great, but not terrible. I guess I'll just have to settle for that since this is basically my last chance to get something out before the deadline. I have no idea how to write Azuma x Kahoko romance. (x . x) Maybe I should have made him more true to himself in his thoughts? Who knows? Azuma to me seems like a teenager who's trying to act like a mature businessman but doesn't have it quite down yet. And especially with Kahoko on the scene, he's more unsure of who he is, but he hides it like everything else.**

**Well, was anyone surprised by his blackmail, or perhaps it would be better to say lack of blackmail? While Azuma is not perfect and thus Nami probably could have managed to get something on him if she were extremely patient and lucky, it wouldn't be worth her head to actually blackmail the Prince of Seiso Academy. XD The only reason it worked out this time is because she knows he's a good enough friend to help out the other boys, so he'll keep his mouth shut.**

**Next chapter is Kazuki! Yes! Finally! Sorry, he's my favorite, so I'm a little excited. (^^; ) I was really happy that people voted on this performance order. (^_^)**


	7. All I Have to Give

**Sorry for the delay. I pounded out the top section of this chapter easily, but I really struggled with the performance half. Whenever I tried to visualize the performance section of this song, I couldn't get rid of the image of Nick Carter sending the camera a sultry, smoldering look. Kazuki Hihara is awesome and my favorite character in the whole franchise, but you just can't smolder while blushing like you're getting paid to do it; it just doesn't work. Ryoutaro can smolder; Azuma can smolder; Keiichi can stare at you in a way that gives the same end result as a smolder; Len could smolder if he took his usual "Get out of my way peasant" look and made a couple modifications; but Kazuki cannot smolder. So smoldering was not a helpful image for this song. (x_x)**

**I'm still not in love with what I've written, but after struggling with this for almost a month, I'm willing to accept what I've managed and move on with my life.**

**Winning 50% of the votes cast, here is Kazuki Hihara singing the Backstreet Boy's "All I Have to Give." I'm not especially crazy about the bridge section, so this is the radio edit. I guess it kind of works out that this is the version that was available on the Japanese release of the CD. **

**Because they do a fade out in the song, the ending will sound a smidge different. I listened to them doing it in concert on a few different occasions and tweaked it accordingly. So if you're wondering where those last lines are coming from, now you know.**

**I also didn't really like the associated dance, so no original choreography this time. I might take a few steps here and there, but for the most part, the choreography won't be the property of the Backstreet Boys and their affiliates.**

**And the Grammar Nazi in me changed the lyrics a little bit. I saw no reason to allow the English language to be butchered when the correct verb had the same number of syllables. XD**

**And now, without further ado, the Backstreet Boy's "All I Have to Give": youtube…com/watch?v=pj6FCKm8dhM**

* * *

Kahoko started a bit when a hand waved in front of her face from above. Leaning back, she was greeted by Kazuki's cheerful smile. Grinning, she pulled her earbuds out. "Hello Hihara-senpai."

"Hi Kaho-chan," Kazuki beamed down before moving to sit on the bench beside her so she wouldn't strain her neck too much. "Whatcha listening to? A new piece for your violin lessons?"

"No actually," she blushed a little as she held up a Backstreet Boys' CD.

"You like boy band music Kaho-chan?" Kazuki asked in surprise. Now that he thought about it, he didn't really know what kind of music she liked outside of the classical realm, but it never occurred to him that anyone other than Amou-chan actually listened to that stuff.

"Umm…I guess, like a lot of other people, you could say I'm a recent convert."

"Oh?" he cocked his head to the side. He obviously didn't get what she was implying.

She hid a smile and explained, "After your guys' concert, you could say a bit of a boy band bug bit the school."

"Oh…I see." He scratched his head in embarrassment then suddenly looked at her in curiosity. "So then…does that mean that you liked the concert Kaho-chan?" At her surprised look, he quickly backtracked, misinterpreting her reaction. "I-I mean, you obviously didn't enjoy that one part," she turned bright pink, "b-b-but, umm, did you, uh, y'know, enjoy the rest of it?"

She smiled reassuringly at his entreating face. "I had a lot of fun watching you, Hihara-senpai." She grinned. "I thought you all looked really cool. It was like you were an actual professional boy band. If you guys had put out a CD, I would've bought it even if you weren't my friends."

"Ah, thanks," he flushed in pleasure. He beamed down at her. "I'm so glad you had fun."

"Did you have fun senpai?"

"Mmm…not at first. I was really nervous," he confessed. "I'd never done anything like that before. But as the concert progressed and the audience got into it, I kind of caught some of their enthusiasm and it became fun." He leaned back a little and stared thoughtfully at the sky. "I suppose when you think about it, at its core, it's not that different from performing with my trumpet. I was just using a different instrument."

"That's a good way to think of it," Kahoko agreed.

They sat for a little in comfortable silence before Kazuki turned back to her. "So, what song were you listening to Kaho-chan?"

She offered him an earbud. "Would you like to hear?"

"Sure," he accepted cheerfully and plugged it in. About thirty seconds in, he snapped. "Oh, I know this song. It's…what was it called…?" He scrunched up his face in concentration. "Oh yeah! 'All I Have to Give,' right?"

"You listen to boy band music too, senpai?" she asked in surprise.

He blushed bright red. "Not-not exactly. Since we were always singing those songs for the concert, they'd sometimes get stuck in my head. So when they were really stuck, I'd listen to them on the computer to help get them unstuck. And since associated songs would pop up, I'd end up hearing them," he explained. He shrugged a little as he admitted, "Some of the songs aren't bad."

"What's one that you like?"

"Mmm…" he brushed some hair out of his eyes as he thought about it, "one that I've heard recently that I thought was cool is called, 'Juliet.' Not sure why, but even though the group pronounces their name, 'Element,' they spell it, 'LMNT.'"

"I don't think I've heard of them. I'll have to look the song up later."

"Why not listen to it now?" He pulled out his cellphone and waved it at her with a wink. "I've got it right here."

"Are you _sure_ you don't like boy bands, Hihara-senpai?" she teased. The martyred look he gave her was so childishly pouty it made her break into uncontrollable giggles that subsequently made him crack up as well.

"Only some of the songs," he reminded when he finally managed to catch his breath.

"Yes, yes," she nodded with a final giggle. As music poured out of his phone, she eagerly leaned in.

He flushed as he stared down at her, her face hovering not far from his. "_So close! Her face is so close!_" he panicked.

"This is so fun! I like how upbeat and straight-forward it is," she beamed up at him. Suddenly looking concerned, she leaned in even closer. "Are you feeling alright Hihara-senpai? Your face is kind of red."

As she reached to check his temperature, he jerked back at the contact, falling off the bench and onto the hard concrete. "Wah!"

"Senpai!" She peered down at him with worried eyes. "Are you okay?!"

With a nervous laugh and a furious blush, he rubbed his aching behind. "Y-yeah, I'm, umm, I'm fine. S-sorry about that. I must've eaten too much or something."

Shaking her head at him as she hid a smile, she waited for him to rejoin her on the bench. "You're so weird sometimes, senpai."

"Ahaha…" he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. Deciding a change in subject was in order, he gave her a curious look and asked, "So what's your favorite song?"

"Actually," she tapped the CD player, "this is one of my favorites."

"'All I Have to Give'? Really?" his eyebrows shot up. "Isn't it kind of sad because the guy is in love with a girl who has a bad boyfriend?"

"Mmm…I suppose that's true, but don't you think his love is very pure in a way?" His eyes widened a little as he listened to her talk. "He acknowledges that there are other people, like that boyfriend, who may be able to provide her with a comfortable life or be better for her in other ways, and he admits that compared to them, he has nothing of value to give her." She looked out at the blue sky absently. "All he has is the love in his heart. That's all he has to offer." She frowned a bit. "I've heard a lot of songs with this kind of love triangle going on, and in many of them, the guy is telling the girl how she's so much better than that other guy and how she deserves better and how that guy is no good and stuff like that."

Kazuki nodded, recalling a few songs like that.

She smiled when she saw that he was following. "What I like about this song is that he doesn't trash talk the other guy. He points out some examples of things that boyfriend does that aren't good, but at the heart, he's just telling her that if she needs him, he'll be there for her because he loves her. I mean, he _does_ want her to leave that guy and be with him, but he's fairly non-pushy about it."

"Wow," he was really impressed, "you've really thought about this."

"I like to pick apart lyrics," she said with a slight shrug, downplaying his compliment despite the little thrill of pleasure.

"Hey, Kaho-chan."

"Hmm?"

His face was serious as his eyes intently studied her. "Do you want a guy like that?"

"What?!" she squeaked as red blazed across her face.

"Ah, sorry! That was too personal wasn't it?!" he backpedaled, his face aflame. "I-I shouldn't have asked." Standing before the situation got even more awkward, he made a beeline for the door. "I'll, uh, I'll catch you around, okay, Kaho-chan?" As he banged the door behind him, he slid down and held his head in his hands. "_Stupid, stupid, stupid Kazuki! Why'd you have to go and ask something like that? Why don't you ever think things through before opening your mouth?!_"

On the other side, Kahoko just stared at the door for a minute trying to comprehend what had just happened in the last five seconds. Eventually, she just shook her head a little and leaned back so she was looking up at the sky. She hadn't really minded his question that much even if it was kind of embarrassing. I mean it was sort of the next obvious thing to ask. She would have answered him if he hadn't taken off like there were rabid dogs snapping at his heels. Giggling a little at that mental image, she smiled and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Who _wouldn't_ want to be loved like that?" she wondered aloud, unknowingly causing a pair of amber eyes to widen behind the door.

~ (^o^) ~

As the music changed, the five grooved around the stage, avoiding the stagehands in black who efficiently placed five mike stands in their proper positions and walked off.

Since there was only one soloist left, all eyes followed the tall trumpeter as he moseyed his way to the front. Like the first two, his outfit was on the casual side: white suit jacket over an untucked, solid-color slate blue hooded shirt with white jeans and sneakers.

Kazuki's eyes zoned in on his destination as he did a little spin. When he heard from Amou-chan that they were doing individual solos this time, he had known immediately what song he wanted to do. She had been understandably skeptical when he first asked if he could do this song instead of having her choose one for him, but in the end, he had won her over. While there were some sections that were very him, Kaho-chan didn't have a boyfriend, bad or otherwise, so it was a bit of an awkward fit. But the heartbeat of the song, those were his true feelings. As he arrived at his mark, he took a deep breath and hoped that she'd hear that.

Placing his microphone into its clip, Kazuki earnestly promised, "**I don't know what he does to make you cry / But I'll be there to make you smile**." His voice was endearingly honest as he admitted, "**I don't have a fancy car / To get to you I'd walk a thousand miles**."

Removing the mike again, he hung off of the stand as the others step-touched with low snaps. "**I don't care if he buys you nice things / [Do] his gifts come from the heart**?" he tapped his chest. "**I don't know**," he shook his head and swept a hand to his chest, "**But if you were my girl**." His eyes closed as he expressed one of the deepest wishes of his heart. "**I'd make it so we'd never be apart**"

He tossed his head up with an intense swish of hair. "**But my love is all**"

"**I have to give**," the others joined in as they leaned their stands in toward each other.

"**Without you I don't**"

"**Think I can live**"

His hand reached out. "**I wish I could give the world to you**"

"**But love is all I have to give**," they sang all together.

"**Give...**" Kazuki swung back to the mike stand. "**When you talk**"

"**When you talk**"

He fixed his eyes solemnly out into the audience. "**Does it seem like he's not / Even listening to a word you say**?" he tapped his ear. "**That's okay, babe**," his eyes were so kind and sympathetic, "**just tell me your problems**." He fought to keep his blush down to a minimum as he touched two fingers to his lips and blew a kiss out into the dark. "**I'll try my best to kiss them all away**"

Pushing aside with his left, he continued, "**Does he leave**?"

"**Does he leave**?" the others mimicked.

He grabbed the microphone with both hands, his eyes filled with righteous anger and frustration. "**When you need him the most**?" No one deserved to be treated that way. "**[Do] his friends get all your time**?" He fell to his knees and wished with all his might that someday he'd matter enough for her to notice him, "**Baby please / I'm on my knees**." The others fell behind him. "**Praying for the**"

"**Day that you'll be mine**," they all beseeched the audience.

Quickly standing, they dramatically swept out their arms. "**But my love is / All I have to give**." They all rocked together.

"**Without you I don't**"

"**Think I can live**"

Five left arms rose up.

"**I wish I could give the world to you**"

Side steps with swinging snaps. "**But love is all I have to give**"

Spin. "**Oh, to you...**"

"**Hey girl**," the other four called.

"**Hey girl**," he sobered as the thought of all the times sadness had dimmed the beautiful sparkle of her eyes, "**I don't want you to cry no more inside**." He brought a hand back to his chest. "**All the money in the world**"

The others shook their fingers. "**Could never add up to**"

"**All the love I have inside**," he declared loudly before sliding right back into the chorus. "**But my love is all**"

"**I have to give**"

His eyes were full of passion as he remembered how she had planned to give up the violin. "**Without you I don't**"

"**Think I can live**"

He wanted to be stronger for her. "**I wish I could give the world to you**"

"**But love is all I have to give**"

"**It's all that I have…**" he crooned underneath.

"**But my love is / All**," lean side-to-side, "**I have to give**"

Grabbing mike and stand, they leaned far to the left. "**Without you I don't**"

Whip up. "**Think I can live**"

"**I wish I could give the world to you**"

They bobbed. "**But love is all I have to give**"

Kazuki looked up from beneath his bangs. "**Give…**" tender sweetness flowed out from his voice as he thought of her smiling face, "**To you…**."

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and let it rip. "**All…**"

"**I have to give**," the others called beneath as they swung back with the stands.

"**Without you I don't**"

"**Think I can live**," they clutched their chests.

"**Give my world to you, lady**"

"**But love is all I have to give**"

His eyes searched for the girl who had taught him what it truly meant to deeply care for another person. "**That's all I've got to give**"

It was true. The gratitude in his heart was all he had to offer. "**But my love is all**"

"**I have to give**"

Behind him, the others pulled their stands to the right. "**Without you I don't**"

And yanked them back again. "**Think I can live**"

He pulled the mike close to his lips. "**I wish I could give the world to you**"

The other four smiled and swept their arms over to direct everyone's attention to Kazuki. "**But love is all I have to give**"

He dropped down on one knee, and with a mixture of tenderness and fear in his eyes, he reached for the girl who unknowingly held his heart. "**To you…**"

The lights blinked out.

* * *

**And that's the last of the individual songs. Whew. Almost no audience involvement this time, but I think I'm okay with it. Since I had to keep juggling who was singing during the chorus, I decided that it might be better to just focus on the performers and not worry so much about how the audience was reacting to them. It was a little sad though. Usually I can have at least one nice chunk where I don't have to do any formatting at all, but for this song, no dice.**

**It very belatedly occurred to me (as in a couple weeks ago) that I could have added *NSync's "No Strings Attached" to Kazuki's poll. Not that I think it necessarily would've won, but just to add some more variety. I mean, "But if you want it here's my heart / No strings attached," is like the story of his life. XD Oh, well. The Backstreet Boys' "As Long As You Love Me" would have also worked. "I don't care / Who you are / Where you're from / What you did / As long as you love me." Plus that chair dance they did in the music video was pretty awesome. ****Of course, I come up with all these ideas after they're no longer useful. XD**

**Group number coming up next! I intend to have lots and lots of audience participation in that one, so hopefully it'll make up for them being pretty much nonexistent here.**

**I just realized that I've forgotten to say this, but thank you to everyone who's added this to their favorites and alerts, and extra thank yous to those who have reviewed!  
**


	8. I Lay My Love on You

**I got lucky again and managed to find a choreography video that has clean sound too. Apparently this was the taping of an exclusive performance for Westlife fans that won some sort of drawing. Since I don't think they usually do this song with choreography when they do it in concert, it's kind of cool to see.**

**Westlife's "I Lay My Love on You": youtube…com/watch?v=o18-Xu75B2A**

* * *

"Hello!" Nami called out as she walked onstage. "Is everyone enjoying the concert so far?"

Loud claps and shouts of affirmation filled the room.

"I think you can do better than that!" she grinned. "I _asked_, 'Is everyone enjoying the concert so far?!'"

Cheers, ear-piercing whistles, and thunderous applause shook the building.

"That's more like it!" she laughed in delight. "We're going to do a little something special now. What do you think of that?"

In the wings, the boys looked at one another in confusion and irritation as the audience screamed and hollered their approval.

"What the heck is she doing?" Ryoutaro hissed. "Does anyone know anything about this?!"

The other four shook their heads.

"I think it's safe to say Amou-san has decided to surprise everyone," Azuma murmured.

"Lovely," Len grumbled.

"But…it's not…as if…it's…the first time…."

"True," Azuma nodded. "Like when she made us do that impromptu photo shoot at the end of dress rehearsal."

"And…autograph all…the tickets…" Keiichi added as he shook his hand at the memory. His fingers had been cramped for days.

"And have her choose our clothes," Kazuki piped up.

"Actually," Len leveled a disgruntled look at his senpai, "that was your idea Hihara-senpai." He still hadn't forgiven him for suggesting it (albeit inadvertently). Amou-san's second visit to his home had been every bit as horrible as her first if not more, especially with his grandparents hinting _oh so subtly_ afterward about how refreshing it was to meet some of his friends and what a nice young lady she was. "_Ugh_," he shuddered. No, just…no.

"Yeah," Ryoutaro agreed as he shot the trumpet player a withering look. Having Amou follow him home and raid his closet had been unbelievably awkward. "The next time you get a bright idea Hihara-senpai, keep it to yourself. That one sucked just as bad as the acting one."

Kazuki nodded meekly. "Got it. Sorry."

"What are…these…?"

"Huh?" the other four turned to the golden-haired boy who stood over by the props table.

Kazuki held up the items in bewilderment. "White chocolate and flowers?"

"Wait, there's a note," Azuma picked it up and handed it to Len who was standing by a light.

The violinist's mouth pulled down into a deep frown. "According to this, we're to each take a piece of chocolate and a carnation with us when she calls us onstage."

Ryoutaro snatched away the paper. "That's it? There's got to be more." He was right, of course, but when he did find the more, his face pulled into a frightening scowl that could rival even Len's on a really bad day. Sometimes it really sucked to be right. Crumpling up the paper and tossing it violently to the floor, he cursed, "She kindly reminded us that this falls under the stipulations of completing the concert."

Len's eye twitched in annoyance. Thank goodness he was going to be moving to a completely different continent where Nami Amou would never bother him again.

"Hey, guys," the stage manager came around the corner, "you're on soon! Why aren't you ready?" He bustled over and distributed the stuff in Kazuki's hands.

"Do you know what we're supposed to do with these?" Azuma asked the second-year.

"Huh? Amou-san didn't tell you?" Noticing her give the signal, he gave them an apologetic look and said, "Sorry, but there's no time to explain. Just play along. It'll become pretty self-explanatory."

And so, amidst great applause, the five of them filed out into the unknown.

Grinning widely at them, Nami turned back to the crowd. "Now let's get this show on the road!" Holding up a large, clear jar, she gave it a good shake and asked, "Who do you think should draw our first contestant for this Chocolate and Flower Event?"

The din was so loud and confusing, no name could be distinguished over the others.

"Uh, hmm…well, that didn't work," she laughed. "How about we just do this in performance order?" Holding out the jar to Ryoutaro, she smiled. "Alright, Tsuchiura-kun, you're up first. Let's see who the lucky girl is!"

He raised his eyebrows. "_Girl?_"

The others looked at one another. They were starting to get an inkling of what was going on.

With a shrug, Ryoutaro fished a slip of paper from the bowl. Moving his cordless mike a little closer to his mouth, he asked, "Seat N19?"

Gasps of surprise and delight could be heard from the general vicinity of the seat.

"Alright!" Nami beamed. "Come on down!" Turning to Len, she held out the bowl. "Your turn Tsukimori-kun!"

With a disgruntled glare, he snatched a paper off the top. "D6," he read.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it!" a feminine voice could be heard near the front as she congratulated her friend.

Keiichi slowly dipped his and into the bowl and churned the contents before retrieving a ticket. "Seat…V30…."

A gasp of astonishment and claps could be heard in the back.

As Nami offered Azuma the bowl, shouts of, "Choose me, Yunoki-sama! No, me!" could be heard popcorning loudly all over the auditorium. With a charming smile and a bow to his fans, Azuma plucked a winner. "K103?"

An ear-piercing shriek of pure delight shrilled over the groans of disappointment.

"And last, but not least?"

Kazuki nervously stuck his and into the bowl and pulled out a number. "Umm…Seat S124?"

A murmur of curiosity rippled through the auditorium as a strange girl rose from her seat to answer the summons.

As the girls came up one-by-one, Nami conducted a short interview.

When the first person, a brown-haired first-year music student, came up, she grabbed the girl by the arm and held the microphone up to her face. "Hello! Can you introduce yourself and tell us who drew your name?"

"Umm…I'm Megumi Shouji, a first-year piano student in Class 1-D." Her teal eyes flicked over to the cool gaze of the violinist she had always admired. "Tsukimori-senpai drew my seat."

"Very nice, very nice," Nami nodded as she nudged the girl to go stand by the ice prince. As she turned, she recognized the next girl. "Mori-san! Good to see you. Tell us about yourself."

The golden-brown-haired girl smiled back. "Hello! I'm Manami Mori, a second-year piano student from Class 2-A," her blue eyes twinkled with amusement, "and Tsuchiura-kun picked me."

"Ooh, looks like we've got the makings of the Piano Romance, huh?" Nami winked at the audience who responded accordingly as Ryoutaro's cheeks flamed hot.

A girl with cropped tan locks and a General Studies' uniform mounted the stage next. With a smile that stretched from ear-to-ear, she walked toward Nami and greeted, "Hi Amou-chan!" Looking starry-eyed, she gushed, "I was chosen by Yunoki-senpai!"

"Looks like you lucked out, huh?" the fellow Gen. Ed. girl teased.

"Yup!" she chirped happily, oblivious to the murderous aura that emanated from a large portion of the crowd. Seeming to remember herself, she gave a perky smile to the audience and bowed. "Mio Takato, General Studies' Class 2-2." As she finished, she beamed at the glass-green-haired girl who slowly ascended with shaky steps. "Fuyuumi-chan! You got picked too?"

Smiling weakly, the other girl nodded. "Yes, s-somehow or another."

Holding out the mike, Nami encouraged, "Alright, you know the spiel."

Fidgeting nervously, Shouko stuttered, "Sh-Sh-Shouko F-Fuyuumi, Class 1-A, first-year clarinet student." Her light pink eyes meeting her fellow first-year's aqua, she murmured very softly, "Shimizu-kun chose my seat."

Nodding, Nami shooed both girls over to their respective boys. Not seeing anyone else, she called into her microphone, "Would the person in Seat S124 please come onstage?"

"I'm here," a voice called from the other side of the stage.

Nami's eyes widened a bit at the elegant beauty before her. In a pristine white-with-blue-trim sailor uniform, the sweet-faced young girl before her seemed to sparkle. Who was this golden-eyed beauty with cascading hair so purple it almost became brown? She certainly wasn't a Seiso student.

"Miyabi?" Mouths dropped open all across the room as the purple prince strode over to the girl with a strange mixture of confusion, sternness, and the slightest touch of worry in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I take it you know one another…?" Nami asked when she finally regained her voice.

The mystery maiden simply smiled calmly at the man beside her. "I wanted to watch my older brother's performance."

Loud whispers and gasps filled the room as conversation buzzed. Yunoki-sama's younger sister?!

Leaning in more closely, Miyabi murmured in his ear, "Don't worry, Grandmother doesn't know." She gave him an impish grin. "As funny as it would be if she _did_ know, I don't think either of us want to borrow that kind of trouble."

Azuma simply nodded in response, but some of the tension went out of his stance.

"What're you two whispering about over there?" Nami butt in.

"Nothing in particular," Miyabi deflected. Bowing to the audience, she introduced herself. "Hello. I'm Miyabi Yunoki, a third-year middle school student at Eitoku Academy on the other side of town. As you can guess, Hihara-san is my partner for this event." Smiling over at Kazuki, she bowed slightly. "I'm looking forward to it, Hihara-san."

Kazuki gave her a frank smile and bobbed his head. "Same to you, Miyabi-chan."

Giving him a sly smile, Azuma teased, "Are you trying to put the moves on my little sister, Hihara?"

"Wh-wh-wh-what?!" he yelped as his face turned deathly pale.

"He's just teasing you, Hihara-senpai," Len called over with an impatient air as both Yunokis chuckled at Kazuki's reaction. As kind of funny as it was to watch Hihara-senpai squirm (still hadn't forgiven him for the clothing thing), could they get this show on the road? The sooner this concert was over, the sooner all this boy band business would be out of his hair.

Kazuki pouted childishly at his best friend. "Yunoki, you're so mean!" he whined.

"Sorry, sorry. I couldn't resist," Azuma apologized as he bit back a snicker.

"In _any_ case," Nami cut in pointedly before turning her attention back to the audience "let's get this Chocolate and Flower Event on the road, shall we?!"

The room was filled with loud cheers and whistles.

"Alright guys, as I said earlier, you'll give the chocolate and flower to the girl," Nami grinned and held up neon glow sticks, "and one of these so you can sing your next solo to her."

The looks they gave her would have withered up the Pacific. Yippee, yet another surprise.

"Mmm…first, let's have…Tsukimori-kun go." All eyes riveted on the violinist.

Taking a moment to glare daggers at the journalist, Len turned to the pianist with a sigh and thrust both the chocolate and flower out at her with his left hand. "Here. Happy White Day."

As Megumi reached out to take the items, Nami batted them away and rounded on the boy. "Oh, come _on_, Tsukimori-kun. Surely you can do it more romantically than _that_! Do you not agree?" she asked the audience who roared in response.

He could feel a migraine coming on.

"Actually…I don't mind."

Both second-years looked at the first-year in surprise.

Taking the items from his hand, she smiled and bowed briefly. "Thank you for the chocolate and the carnation, Tsukimori-senpai." Meeting his eyes for a split second, she bowed again more deeply. "I know you'll do well in Vienna, and I look forward to hearing you perform again someday."

After a pregnant pause, he responded. "Thank you…." As he looked at her, there was a hint of something funny in his eyes, as if he were truly noticing her for the first time.

With a shrug, Nami broke a bright blue glow stick and handed it to Len, who then handed it to Megumi. He frowned sharply at the reporter when she kicked his shin lightly. "What?"

"You should at least escort her off the stage, Tsukimori-kun."

With a sigh, his pale gold eyes met her clear teal ones. "Shall we?"

As they walked off, Nami smiled over at the piano pair. "Alright, Tsuchiura-kun, you're up."

Pink staining his cheeks, Ryoutaro ran a hand through his hair awkwardly. Man, this was embarrassing. He snuck a glance at the girl beside him and was glad to see she was simply smiling and waiting for him. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Clearing his throat, he gave Manami a frank smile and offered her the stuff in his hands. "Ah, here you are, Mori. Happy White Day."

"Thank you, Tsuchiura-kun," she graciously accepted the gifts and the neon green glow stick he handed her after that.

"You're row N?"

"Yes."

He nodded to himself and stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. "I'll walk you back."

She beamed. "Thank you."

His face pinkening a little more, he motioned with his head for them to go, and they walked off.

"And now…Yunoki-senpai?"

Azuma hid a smirk. If it was theatrics they wanted, theatrics they'd get. Turning on the charm, the air shimmered until a veritable garden of pristine, sparkling roses appeared around him. Taking Mio's hands into one of his own, he pressed the chocolate and flower into them and bowed deeply over their clasped hands. "Happy White Day, Takato-san."

"Th-th-thank y-y-you!" she squealed in rapture. If evil auras of vicious, raw jealousy were present, Mio didn't notice. She was in seventh heaven.

"Did you know, Takato-san, the carnation is a symbol of love, and the red carnation in particular represents longing and admiration."

As Azuma handed Mio the purple glow stick, cries of, "Yunoki-sama is so knowledgeable!" and, "That's Yunoki-sama for you! To understand the language of flowers is a true mark of his refined upbringing!" and other variations on the theme of lauding how profound and brilliant he was burst out all over the auditorium.

Kazuki was a little glad when Nami chose Keiichi to go next. I mean who in their right minds wanted to follow _that_?

Keiichi solemnly fixed his aqua eyes to Shouko's light pink. "Fuyuumi-san…."

"Y-y-yes, Sh-Shimizu-k-k-kun?"

He smiled gently, making the air glitter around him like stars. "Happy…White Day…." He slowly held out the chocolate.

"Th-thank you," Shouko bobbed her head quickly in thanks, before turning to flee off the stage.

"Fuyuumi-san…?"

"Umm…y-yes?"

He held up the carnation. "You forgot…this…."

Her face flamed scarlet. "Oh, yes, umm, th-thank you."

He walked it over and pressed the flower into her free hand. "Shall we…?"

As the two first years walked off the stage, Nami ran after them waving a yellow glow stick in the air. "You forgot the glow stick, Shimizu-kun! Man, why are you so forgetful?!"

Kazuki felt his body seize up when he realized he and Miyabi-chan were the only ones left in the center of the stage. A cold sweat came over him. Yunoki might've been joking earlier, but would this be considered putting the moves on his sister?! He wouldn't hold this against him, would he? I mean it's not like he had a choice in the matter, right?!

Coldness suddenly gripped his heart. But more importantly than Yunoki, what would Kaho-chan think? Would she think he was interested in Miyabi-chan if he gave her the carnation? He drooped a little bit. Would she even care? They were only friends; there was no reason for her to be jealous or anything like that.

He mussed up his hair uncertainly. He supposed regardless of what Kaho-chan and Yunoki would think, he had to give Miyabi-chan the carnation and white chocolate. He may not _like_ her like her, but he couldn't jilt his best friend's kid sister in front of the whole school! Miyabi-chan was a nice, smart girl. Surely she wouldn't misunderstand.

Decision made, he turned to the girl and opened his mouth. "Happy White Day, Miyabi-cha-" His eyes practically bugged out of his head as he stared at his empty hands. What happened to the stuff? He quickly checked the floor and his pockets in a fluster. Where did they go?!

"Hihara-san?"

He looked up to see her smiling back at him and holding the missing items. "Hah?!" he pointed at her in shock. "Miyabi-chan…did I give you the stuff already?" He was so confused!

She giggled. "You looked really distracted, so I took them from you." She smiled and bowed. "Thank you for the chocolate and the carnation, Hihara-san. I hope we will continue to be friends."

He almost wanted to weep with joy. That was exactly the out he needed. "Of course, Miyabi-chan!" he grinned down at her and gave her a victory sign.

"Ahem," Nami cleared her throat and flicked Kazuki on the forehead with an orange glow stick. Completely unrepentant in the face of the injured, pouty look he gave her, she asked, "Do you think you can at least give her _this_, Hihara-senpai?"

"That hurt, Amou-chan!" Kazuki complained loudly as he took the glow stick, unconscious of the loud giggling that had been pouring out from the seats in a steady stream since he had checked out earlier.

"Sorry," Nami stated. She was very obviously not sorry. "But please get Yunoki-san back to her seat quickly so we can continue, Hihara-senpai. Everyone else is back already."

He looked over at the amused/zoned out/bored looks of the others and nodded. "Oh, right. Sorry." Motioning with his head, Kazuki smiled down at the middle schooler. "Let's go, Miyabi-chan."

She nodded with a smile and quickly followed him off the stage.

Once Kazuki got back a few minutes later, he lined up in the middle of the stage with the others. Show time.

From left-to-right, Len, Ryoutaro, Azuma, Keiichi, and Kazuki stood under the filtered spotlights that gave the air a misty quality to them.

A guitar strummed to signal for quiet, and they were off.

Azuma smiled placidly out into the dark, his eyes skimming the crowd. "**Just a smile and the rain is gone**," he moved his hand to himself and pointed back out, "**Can hardly believe it, yeah**." Fixing his eyes on a purple glow, he nodded and beamed even more charmingly. "**There's an angel standing next to me / Reaching for my heart**"

On the last word, he moved back toward Ryoutaro as he moved forward so the five of them formed a trapezoid. Spreading their arms out into a jump, they rocked out.

Ryoutaro smiled over at the green glow stick. "**Just a smile and there's no way back**." Whip across and kick. "**Can hardly believe it**." Pivot.

"**Yeah**," the others called out as they leaned right and swept their bodies over.

He nodded to the light again. "**But there's an angel, calling me**," arms out, cross down, "**Reaching for my heart**."

As they grooved around, Keiichi came to the center and gazed at the glimmer of yellow in the back. "**I know that I'll be ok now**"

Together. "**This time**"

"**It's real**"

Up, and up, sweep arm right. "**I lay my love on you**," they sang together. "**It's all I wanna do**." Small kicks. "**Every time I breathe I feel brand new**." Left point, spin, sweep arms out and step. "**You opened up my heart / Show me all your love, and walk right through**." They switched lines and slowly swept their arms out at their sides. "**As I lay my love on you**"

Slide and spin. Len took center stage.

Pointing to himself, he stated, "**I was lost in a lonely place**," face side, and pivot back. "**Could hardly believe it**"

As they all jumped into another slow rock, his eyes homed in on the blue stick over on the left. "**Yeah**"

Shake head and snap, shake head and snap. "**Holding on to yesterday**." As he flung out his arms, he could sort of make out her face in the dim light, "**Far, far too long**."

Keiichi moved forward to Ryoutaro's right as they moved into a new formation. "**Now I believe its ok cause this time it's real**"

In four parts, they harmonized, "**I lay my love on you**." They flapped their left hands across as if to brush away past regrets. "**It's all I wanna do**," and bounce, "**Every time I breathe I feel brand new / You opened up my heart**." Sweep over to the right, out, and back together, "**Show me all your love, and walk right through**." Switch lines.

"**Oh yeah**," Azuma interjected as he settled into the left-back corner.

"**As I lay my love on you**," they pointed out to the audience.

Grooving and clapping, they moved back into a single line—Azuma, Ryoutaro, Len, Kazuki, and Keiichi.

Pointing out, and gazing up earnestly into the dark, Keiichi truthfully proclaimed, "**I never knew that love could feel so good**."

Catching sight of orange, Kazuki grinned and waved energetically with both arms before looking out across the dark, imagining a different pair of golden eyes. "**Like a once in a lifetime / You change my world**"

The other four punched down and began to roam behind him. "**I**"

"**I lay my love on you**," Kazuki pointed out then forward.

"**You**"

"**You make me feel brand new**," he cried as he touched his chest.

Gesturing and closing their eyes, their voices soared together. "**Show me your love, and walk right through**"

"**Oh yeah**," Ryoutaro grinned as they moved into an M with the taller boys in the front and the shorter in the back arranged by vocal part.

"**As I lay my love**," Kazuki started before launching into the chorus with the others.

"**I lay my love on you / It's all I wanna do / Every time I breathe I feel brand new**"

"**Feel brand new**," Len belted as the others spun.

"**You opened up my heart / Show me all your love, and walk right through**"

As they swept their arms up, Kazuki's voice rang out clear and strong, "**Cause I lay my love**."

"**I lay my love on you**," the others joined in as they wandered about gesturing out to the screaming crowd.

"**I lay my love on you**," Len sang to the left.

"**Oh**," Keiichi reached out to the back.

"**You**"

Ryoutaro nodded to the right. "**You make me feel brand new**"

Together again. "**You opened up my heart / Show me all your love, and walk right through**"

"**Oh yeah**," Keiichi crooned.

"**As I lay my love on you**." They backed up to center stage again.

Azuma smiled toward the center and pointed across the hall. "**As I lay my love on you**"

Applause unlike anything they had heard before thundered through the auditorium.

Smiling at each other, the boys bowed and headed offstage. They'd let Nami take care of the band and stage crew appreciations.

As Nami brushed past them in the wings, she hissed, "Head back onstage as soon as you switch out your mikes, and don't forget the bouquet."

They all looked at her retreating back like she had just grown another five heads. Wasn't that the last number? And what bouquet? Hadn't they already grabbed all the flowers?

Oblivious to their stares, she swept up to the front where a lone spotlight illuminated the stage. "Before we continue, I would like to take a moment to recognize all the people that have helped to make this concert a reality. Give it up for our fabulous stage crew and band!" Enthusiastic claps and whistles roared from the throng. She grinned. "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for: the winner of our Song and Flower Event!" Nami declared to loud cheers and stamps from the audience.

Song and Flower Event?! They were starting to wish they had actually listened to what the heck she had been saying before this last number. Who knew what they'd have to do next. Wait…song? _What song?!_

"Drumroll please."

The percussionist complied.

Fishing into the bowl, Nami announced, "And our lucky winner is…" she pulled out a slip, "K107!"

* * *

**Poor boys. Nami just keeps pulling stunt after stunt, and they just have to try and keep up. Goodness this chapter was lengthy. Even though it's less than 4,000 words, it ended up spanning about nine pages! I guess that's what happens when you're trying to juggle eleven people having conversations with each other.**

**I noticed that a lot of people like non-canon pairings, so I thought I'd give them a little nod just because. Since none of the boys actually like any of those other girls (keeping it canon-compliant), I figured it wouldn't hurt.**

**Thought I'd experiment with having things happen in the present day and flow directly into the song. I'm not totally certain if I like it better like this or like what I did in "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" in "Just a Little Holiday Blackmail," but I suppose it worked alright.**

**Theatre seating is really weird. For some reason, if you are on the stage facing the audience, all the seats on the right are odd numbers and all the ones on the left are evens. On the two respective sides, the numbers start from the center-most seats (relative to the center of the stage), and go up. And the center seats start from 100 and go up left-to-right. If there are two center sections, then they'll do the left-odd, right-even thing again. I guess it works, but it almost seems like it would be easier to just start from the left and go up starting from one, y'know? I had to reassign seats so many times so the distribution of seats wasn't too biased toward a certain section. First people were in row this, then they were in row that, then I'd switch them from the left side to the right side and back again. It was kind of a mess. XD**

**********Thank you to everyone who's added this to their favorites and alerts, and additional thank yous to those who have reviewed! It's wonderful to know that people are reading this.********  
**


	9. I Do (Cherish You)

**Okay, so technically that last one was supposed to be the closing number (according to the polls) and this was going to be the encore, but then I got a brainwave. So now this is the closing number. Hmm…with Nami pulling all these things out of the hat, this concert isn't actually much shorter than the previous. XD We're looking at…9 versus 10 songs (11 if you include the encore)?**

**This is one of my absolute favorite boy band songs of all time. It's just so incredibly sweet and romantic. I hope you enjoy it. Oh, word of advice if you come to like this song: never, ever watch the music video. It completely and totally destroys everything. You have been warned.**

**I hope you will enjoy the final installment of the "Just a Little Holiday Blackmail" series.**

**98°'s "I Do (Cherish You)": youtube…com/watch?v=wjmwDQNC0gU**

* * *

Nami stared down at the stack of paper in her hands uncertainly as she wrestled with herself. They only had a couple more weeks before the concert. Would there be time? She frowned hard as she calculated schedules, practice time, difficulty, _et cetera_, _et cetera_. "Would you guys totally hate me if I asked you to do a planned encore number?"

"Yes," Len replied flatly. "We barely have time to finish what we've got."

"It wouldn't be another dancing number. You'd just stand and sing," she wheedled.

"Even…simply…singing takes…rehearsal…time…."

"But you could seriously enslave the entire female student body with this one song!"

Azuma smiled innocently. "And we haven't already done pretty much that?"

She huffed and resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at him. It wasn't worth her head if word got back to the Yunoki guard.

"Besides," Kazuki mussed up his hair as he wrinkled his nose, "why would we want all the girls to go crazy over us? It's really troublesome having to keep running away from them all the time."

"Give it up Amou," Ryoutaro advised as they all continued to pack up.

"What if it would guarantee that a particular girl saw you in a more romantic light?" she asked suddenly. "Would it be worth it then?"

They all paused.

Nami hid a smile. "_Gotcha._"

Kazuki and Keiichi looked over at Nami as the other three quickly shrugged it off.

"What…do you…mean…?"

"Is a single song really capable of that Amou-chan?"

The other three cringed. They had a bad feeling about this.

Nami stretched her face into a wide, inviting smile. She'd caught them, now to reel them in. "If your girl has a single romantic bone in her body, she won't be able to resist _this_ song."

Seeing Kazuki's eyes light up, Ryoutaro quickly slapped his hands over his senpai's mouth. "_There is no way I'm going to let you-_"

"May…I…see it…?"

He groaned and let his hands fall, releasing the third-year to eagerly grab the music and huddle over it with the freshman. "_Here we go again._" He sent Len and Azuma dirty looks. "Way to have my back, guys."

Azuma just shrugged apologetically while Len simply ignored him. He was determined to not let this become any of his business.

Azuma sighed and walked over to the other two as Ryoutaro continued to grind his teeth at Len. If they were going to get them all roped into something, he might as well let it happen with his eyes open. He furrowed his eyebrows as he read the lyrics over Kazuki's shoulder. "Amou-san, this is very obviously a wedding or engagement song. Don't you think we're a bit young to be seriously thinking about marriage?"

Kazuki dropped the score like it was a hot potato, sending sheets spilling across the stage in a messy heap. "M-m-m-m-m-m-m-marriage?!" He looked ready to faint.

Nami rolled her eyes. Good grief. For a brief moment, she wondered if they were mature enough to even do moderate justice to the song before quickly dismissing the thought. It would turn out once they saw things her way. Or her name wasn't Nami Amou. "Seriously thinking, yes." She smiled smugly. "Dreaming about the romance of it, especially if you're a girl? No."

By this point, Ryoutaro had also come over, looking over the sheets as he and Keiichi picked them up from the floor. "Sappy," he grumbled, then grudgingly sighed, "But I see your point." The words were dragged out of him with all the enthusiasm of having his teeth pulled out, without painkiller. "If you really felt this way about someone and sang this to her, she'd know it."

Len paused. "What makes you say that?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Ryoutaro flashed him a goading smile. "Why? Interested?"

"No," he denied, all frost. He internally winced. To his hearing, it sounded a tad too swift to be convincing.

"Sure…" Ryoutaro drawled with a smirk. Prissy boy was totally interested.

Taking the music from the two boys on the floor, Azuma diplomatically walked it over to the violinist. "Since everyone else has taken a look, why don't you as well, Tsukimori-kun?"

As he perused solo 4, Len pursed his lips into a frighteningly thin line. He hated it when she was right.

Sensing something in the air, Kazuki spoke up. "Hey, guys," he looked around at the others. "Can I have solo 3?"

"Who said we were going to do it?" Len asked icily. The temperature in the room significantly dropped.

Kazuki flushed. "Well…if-if we _do_ do it," he cleared his throat and fidgeted nervously, "I'd like solo 3."

"Why…don't…we take…a vote…?" Keiichi suggested.

"Yes," Azuma agreed. "An anonymous vote," bowing his head toward Nami, he continued, "with Amou-san as the moderator."

Ryoutaro leaned back to look at her. "Got anymore paper?"

As Nami counted the votes, she hid her Cheshire grin. Unanimously yes. Oh, she was _good_!

~ (^o^) ~

"Will the person in seat K107 please come forward?" Nami called again into her microphone.

"Go on!" a voice could be heard hissing from just off the stage.

"But I don't want to!" another voice quietly protested. "Why don't _you_ go?"

"Her seat didn't get drawn," yet another voice chimed in.

"Don't be a baby," the first voice chastised with a grunt as if dragging something along.

"But-but-but-!"

"Break a leg!" the third voice cheerfully chirped as a slim girl in a black General Studies' uniform was unceremoniously shoved into the spotlight.

Nami's eyes lit up as she caught sight of the red-haired violinist. "Hino-chan! Looks like you're our lucky winner!"

Kahoko smiled nervously back. "Umm…yeah, I guess so." Fate had truly played her a cruel trick. Getting hauled onstage in two different concerts to participate in some weird audience volunteer activity, what were the chances?

"Look, guys! It's Kaho-chan!" Kazuki motioned to the others as they untangled themselves from their wireless mikes.

Nodding thoughtfully as he walked over to the prop table, Ryoutaro hoisted up the large bouquet of pink roses and golden yellow calla lilies sprinkled with baby's breath and star of Bethlehem that was on it. "I guess we're supposed to give her this." With a very slight downturn of his lips, he fixed the lace and cellophane wrapping. Well, at least this time he got to give flowers to a girl he was actually interested in, but it would've been nice if they had been _his_ flowers. Would it kill Amou to let people make their moves when they were good and ready to?

Keiichi stared at the arrangement pensively. "But the…event is called…a Song and…Flower Event…. What is…the song…?"

"Perhaps," Azuma murmured as he watched the flustered girl from beneath slightly lowered lashes, "Amou-san means for us to sing _that_ song. After all, it's the only one left."

A mixture of emotions crossed their faces at the prospect, but chief among them was confusion. What was she _thinking_?! That was supposed to be an encore number, not part of the concert! Then, confusion slowly gave way to anticipation, determination, nervousness, and uncertainty. This was the perfect opportunity to see if Nami had been right about the power of this song, but now that they knew they would quite literally be singing it to _her_, could they pull it off?

As Len's eyes followed the golden-eyed girl onstage, he thought aloud, "I suppose this explains the strange way Amou-san staged us." Before the others could respond, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We should get going." And with that, he strode out of the wings to loud applause with the others following behind in a clump.

Nami smiled widely and turned her fellow Gen. Ed. toward the quintet. "So Hino-chan, whom would you like to receive the bouquet from? Choose the one you like best."

Kahoko tried to desperately fight down her blush. Choose whom she liked best? Why in the world did Amou-san insist on asking questions like that?! Looking away from the others, Kahoko turned to the other girl. "I like them all equally, Amou-san. We're all friends."

Ouch. That kind of stung. Although on the bright side, it meant they were all on equal footing.

"Oh come on, Hino-chan. Be a sport. Isn't there _anyone_ you'd like to receive flowers from?"

Kahoko's smile looked a little strained as she shook her head. "_I didn't even want to come up here. I _knew_ something embarrassing would happen!_"

Before Nami could try to badger and bait her again, Kazuki suggested out of nowhere, "What if we all gave it to her?"

"Huh?" both girls looked at him in surprise.

Keiichi nodded thoughtfully. "It…is…a rather…large…bouquet…."

Ryoutaro laid the flowers horizontally in his hands and the others gathered around.

Azuma chuckled. "It almost feels like Hino-san is our teacher or something."

Ryoutaro's eyes lit with humor. "Thank you for all you've done for us, Hino-sensei," he joked.

Kahoko shook her head with a large smile and accepted the flowers and their White Day wishes. She was glad she wouldn't have to choose someone.

"And this too," Len thrust out a sheer, filmy white scarf.

Nami's eyes widened in surprise, then sharpened in indignation when she recognized her new scarf. She ground her teeth as the other girl took it with an appreciative, "Thank you," oblivious to her friend's ire and the smirks that flirted around the two second-years' otherwise studiously bland expressions. That thing was _designer_! _This_ was the thanks she got for trying to help these hopeless idiots out? They were _so_ buying her a new one! Thinking of Len's house, she smirked and added that cute, little CHANEL clutch she'd been eyeing to their purchases.

With happy thoughts of revenge, Nami pulled Kahoko toward the boys—making sure to viciously kick the violinist and pianist in the shins for good measure—and settled her smack in the middle of the stage. Then, turning back to the audience, she grinned. "And now, I'd like to present our special song of the evening. Please enjoy 98°'s 'I Do.'"

As applause filled the air, the lights went down, making the entire stage pitch black with the exception of a lone pool of light.

Kahoko fidgeted uncomfortably in the spotlight. It was so dark outside of it that she couldn't make out any of the others despite that they were wearing predominantly white. What was going to happen to her? She jumped a little when she heard the cascade of wind chimes and the little pyuu at the beginning of the song.

Then, out of the darkness, Azuma slowly approached her, moving with predatory grace that made her shiver. "**I do I do now**." She stared at him much like the way she had when they had first met. "**I do I do…**"

As Azuma faded into the black, she felt someone tap her shoulder, making her turn with such force that she almost ran smack into Ryoutaro. Chuckling, he ruffled her hair a bit and looked down at her affectionately. Then his eyes went serious. "**All I am, all I'll be**"

Her heart skipped even more quickly than that really fast Chopin song he had played for her after soccer practice that one time.

"**Everything in this world / All that I'll ever need**." He shot her that smile that always made everything seem right and stable in the world. "**Is in your eyes**." He moved closer so she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. "**Shining at me**"

She felt her body tremble involuntarily as he towered over her. There was something very…possessive about his movements.

"**When you smile I can feel / All my passion unfolding**"

She did a 180 as something brushed her other shoulder, bringing her face-to-face with another green-haired boy.

Kazuki smiled tenderly, remembering how soft her hand had been on his during that class. "**Your hand brushes mine**"

A funny little ache lanced through her heart as their eyes shyly met.

Touching his own heart, he whispered, "**And a thousand sensations**," she watched, entranced, as he slowly backed away with his hand held out, "**Seduce me 'cause I**."

She was shocked when five additional spotlights flashed on, revealing all five boys in a semi-circle around her. "**I do cherish you**." As she met each of their eyes in turn, she was struck by the earnestness and gentleness that emanated from them.

Touching their hands to their chests, they solemnly pledged, "**For the rest of my life / You don't have to think twice**." They smiled at her sharp intake of breath. "**I will love you still / From the depths of my soul**"

Azuma pinned her with his gaze. "**It's beyond my control**"

Softly, the five cooed, "**I've waited so long to say this to you**."

She ducked her head self-consciously, disoriented by the strange way they were making her feel (although, that was uncannily similar to real life).

"**If you're asking do I love you this much**"

Azuma tipped up her chin and looked directly into her eyes. "**I do**"

Her eyes widened; then, in a blink, the other lights flicked off, leaving her alone with Len.

"**Oh, baby**," he murmured with a tentative smile. Then, taking a deep breath, he moved closer and fixed her with an intense look that let her know just how truly he'd mean his next words. "**In my world, before you**"

Her blood pressure spiked.

"**I lived outside my emotions / Didn't know where I was goin'**." His body language conveyed all the feelings he could never find the words to voice. "**'Til that day I found you**"

She blushed prettily under his gaze. Who would've thought he'd feel that way about her?

Gold held gold. "**How you opened my life / To a new paradise**"

Then gold met amber. Her heart burned within her as she was swept away by those tender, expressive eyes. "**In a world torn by change**." Her smile was grateful as she heard his message: no matter what, I'll always be there for you. But any delusions of that being solely friendly were demolished as he leaned in and affectionately vowed, "**Still with all my heart**," he bravely brushed a strand of hair from her face, "**'Til my dying day**"

"**I do**," Keiichi murmured in her ear, making her start and blush furiously as she turned her head toward his.

"**I'll cherish you, my baby**," the others called softly from the sidelines.

"**Cherish you**," he slid in front of her and gave her that radiant smile that always made her face flush and heart flutter.

"**This much I know is true**"

"**For the rest of my life / You don't have to think twice**," all five harmonized.

Taking her free hand, he bowed his head to it as if paying homage to a great queen. "**I will**"

"**I'll always love you, baby**," the others solemnly swore.

"**Love you still**." Her eyes gentled as she beheld the young musician before her. She could sense his straightforward feelings for music in every word.

"**This much I promise you**"

Gazing at her with impassioned eyes, all five declared, "**From the depths of my soul**."

Keiichi's angelic blues spoke straight to the heart even as he moved into line with the others. "**It's beyond my control**." Kahoko clutched her flowers more tightly as she sensed that possibly somehow, in some ways, she had become synonymous with music.

"**I've waited so long to say this to you**." Kahoko looked from boy to boy at a complete loss. "**If you're asking do I love you this much**"

Keiichi's smile shone. "**Yes I do**"

"**Ooh, I really love you**," the others bobbed.

"**I do**"

"**Ooh, I really love you**"

Warmth and caring poured out of them. "**If you're asking do I love you this much**"

Azuma stepped forward, making her feel inexplicably weak-kneed. "**Baby, I do**"

"**I'll cherish you, my baby**," the others snapped.

"**Cherish you**." His eyes skimmed her face, making her breath catch when they lingered on her lips.

"**This much I know is true**"

As they circled her, she moved as if her heart were connected to theirs by a string. "**From the depths of my soul / It's beyond my control**." Touching their hearts, their voices soared, "**I've waited so long to say this to you**." Her heart stuttered and fell before them. "**If you're asking do I love you this much…**"

Azuma tapped her shoulder and caught her free hand as she spun toward him. Bowing over it as if asking her for a dance, he smiled genuinely and backed away. "**Well, baby I do**"

With gentle smiles, they stretched a hand out to the girl who had captured their hearts. "**Oh…I… / I do…**"

* * *

***happy sigh***** Well, if I were Kahoko, I'd certainly be looking at those boys in a different light. Anybody else agree? The only unfortunate thing is that, well, there are five of them. XD So that'll come with it's own set of problems. XD**

**I was hesitant to have the boys sing this for a long time because I didn't think they'd be old enough or mature enough to be able to put the proper feeling into it. ****Like Azuma said, they're all pretty young to be seriously considering marriage, but in the end, I just couldn't let myself leave it out. I am a serious sucker for this song.**

******Partway through conceptualizing this chapter, I thought it would be cool if the boys could actually sing to Kahoko, and thus, the drawing was born. After all, after what happened in the last concert, there was no way Nami would be able to sucker Kahoko into coming onstage voluntarily. Thinking along this general vein, I actually changed my original concept for "I Lay My Love on You" so Kahoko would believe her participation was the result of a fair drawing. XD**

******Thank you to everyone who's been reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed it! I'm a little sad to see this series go, but I think it's ending just the way it should. =)  
**


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